The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-11-03
THE MOON A DEAD STAR. +

The Maine journal OF EuHculOn
has translated an article from the Cos
mos, in which Stanislas Meunier gives
some curious speculations with re-
gard to the present physical condition
of the moon. h-a1! &ui+ao' sDtf7' .
His theory is, and he has the sup
port of eminent astronomers like Beer
Moedler and Arago, that the moon is
a dead star. He draws this inference
from singular appearance upon the
surface which is called grooves" by
the physicists. These grooves. have
parallel sides nearly mile in width,
and from ten to one hundred and
twenty miles in length. There
are already ninety of them, and it is
supposed that mt re are in process of
formation. Reasoning from analogy
we must believe that at some period.
in the distant past the moon had an
atmosphere and water, and also, that
on account OF her Inferior size, she
has cooled much more quickly Than
the earth. The water penetrating the
crust has been absorbed as the decrease
of internal heat increased the thick
ness of the crust, until long before
the cooling process had reached the
center, the water had disappeared.
The rocks then solidifying, as the, heat
supply diminished, contracted in a
manner resembling the appearance of
basalt and produced the grooves into
which the atmosphere settled. Hence
the chaotic appearance OF. the, moon,
with its immense mountains, .yolca-
noes, and craters. Some astronomers
have detected an appearance of action
in some of the volcanoes; but the
general opinion is, that every Yestige
of physical life has long since depart
ed from the surface of our satellite.
These theories are all very we'll
when applied to our distant neighbor,
the moon; but we can not shut our
eyes to the startling fact that the earth
is undergoing a similar process, of
transformation. Biologists trace a
close resemblance between the circles
in the moon and the circles of granite
and porphyry upon the earth. They
have also discovered, evidences of a
fine qualification among the lunar
mountains, while the volcanic forma-
tions bear a discernable analogy to
those of Teneriffe and Palms. - 81
According to the new theory, the
following is the process slowly taking
place on the earth's surface for she,
like her subordinate, is gradually
cooling. 1t is estimated that one-fif-
tieth of the original ocean has been
already absorbed, and that when the
crust of the earth has become one
hundred miles in thickness every drop
of water will disappear. 1t is also
estimated that the earth could easily
absorb fifty oceans like those which
now cover a large portion Of the SUR
face. ti' -..... -,
All the water at present on, the
earth constitutes one twenty-four
thousanth part of its weight, and once
absorbed would become insensible to
chemical analysis. The water being
absorbed the earth will crack open
like the moon, and form similar
grooves, into which the atmosphere
will settle. Long before this era all
life will have ceased. -. - =
Whether there is any truth in the
theory or not, we have no immediate
cause of alarm, for the process will
not advance enough to give the Slight
est record in the short span of arsingle
lifetime. According to the expert
ments of Bischof it will take nine
millions Of years for the earth to cool
down fifteen degrees. This loss is al
most imperceptible, as the internrl
heat adds only hesthirtieth of = de-
gree to the temperature of the surface.
If this proeess is true Of the earth
and the moon, the same cause must
produce the same effects in other
planets and satellites Of the system.
Even the great sun himself must be
subjected to the laws which rule his
subordinates. Therefore the time
must come in the distant ages OF the
hereafter when sun, planets and moon,
losing every vestige of heat, will have
absorbed every drop Of water in their
thickeRed ci'usts, and will have inn,
prisoned every particle of atmosphere
in their huge fisshres. The solar sys-
tenn, now grandly beautiful, will then
be but an assemblage of dead worlds,
without ray of light, without wave
of heat, without a drop. of water,
without o breath of air floating around,
in the inlmensity of space, bound to-,
gether by the law of. gravitation in
the embrace of death. iu 10 EalHrit.'
Itis net Q pleasing speculation, If it
is philosophical ohe,, IN, of .-rolis
..-'