The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-20

TIE MOON.
Lecture At Association Hall by Richard
A. Proctor.

uar lecture OF the evening Mr. Proc
tor treated briefly the interesting question
OF the approaching transit Of Venus. He remarked
that 1t was an event OF the deepest interest to the
astronomer. because it was By these observations
we are enabled to estimate the suns Aista nee
fundamental question, upon which all other
problems depend. Some people cannot well
understand what connection exists between the
transit Of Venus and the distance OF the sun. but
the solution is very simple. as Venus passing
between it ana the earth gives US opportunity to
make most important and accurate observations.
by means OF diagrams the lecturer pointed out the
method OF observation and the basis OF caicula-
ton, the advantages offered Dy Hailey's method,
which will be adopted in taking the observations
in 1874
Coming to the subject OF the evening tho lecturer
reminded the audience that, as at one time there
were men VINO had worshipped the sun, 80 also
the moon had had her vOtares. The moons mo-
ton through the starry space suggested ideas OF
power, and induced men to worship her
as goddess. This point was not much
insisted on and the lecturer came to the
statement OF facts such as science had placed
within his grasp. The distance Of the moon from
the earth was set down at 238, 1913 miles, Slight
correction on the r0ugh-and-ready estimate OF
100000 generally accepted. What further is
specifically known OF che moon may be
stated briefly. Owing to the greater density
of the composing matter her mass Is
only One-eightieth that of the earth. The surface
OF the moon Is covered with ranges OF mountains
of circular formation, which 'resemble the eyes in
peac0ck'S tail y and no seas have been dsCOv-
ered nor is there any sensible evidence OF the ex-
iStence OF atmosphere. There has always been
70 Dee s;s te moon inhabited ana Mr.
OF the moon hoax, perpetrated by an American at
the expense OF Herschel and Brewster, in which
very minute description was given of the buildings,
and the bat men who were supposed TO nnabit
the moon. Mr.. Proctor INDUCED In u sly hit at
his audience by relating that religious person
was so completely sold that he wrote to Brewster,
expressing hope that steps would be imme-
diatey taken to secure for the Inhabitants OF the
moon the benefit OF religious instruction.
Returning to the serious aspect of the inhabita-
experiment and observation pointed to the alb
sence of atmosphere, and consequent existence Of
extreme heat and cold. which are tncom-
Every examination pointed to the existence
Of physical irregularities. In demonstration
the fact that the shadows, which are supposed to
be valleys not exposed to the SUMS direct light,
ton of light, the valleys plunged In absolute
darkness at sunrise, while on the moon; even under
directly the sunlight are plunged in total dark.
ness: Another proof of the absence OF atmosphere
at the moons surface was found In the instant
ObleratiOn OF stars, which, once they pass behind
her disk, are no longer visible until they appear on
the opposite edge. This well observed fact would
ours. When the sun appears to sink
sunk some time, but owing to the refraction OF
light by the atmosphere he is visible long alter he
moon without air, but far there are In
dicati0ns OF water existing or having existed.
The diagram OF supposiitious lunar landscape
was produced in order to show what the effects
that glacial action or water might produce ~ such
things existed on the moon; but as they did not
those imaginary pictures OF moonand, in which
inventive people seek to give the characteristics
our wanderings through space. Ii there are
inhabitants on the moon they would see our earth
which we examine the moon. In passing through
the heavens our planet would not blot out the
he s on
moon Is not black, but ruddy with sunlight bent by
the action OF our atmosphere.
Introducing photographs OF the moon, the lee
turer paid deserved compliment to the Iabors OF
two Americans-Drs. Draper and Rutherford-to
perfect the process Of moon photography The
the state & the moons 'snt Surface s'' which
vey. good deal of attention was given TO the
crater known as Pluto, and the trouble it gives
to observers to decide whether certain changes
OF The absence OF vegetation from the moons sur
these changes were only apparent.
The question OF the craters was pretty fully dis
cussed, and though Mr.. Proctor was willing to ad-
time yet it could never have been covered with the
mutitudinous craters. Rejecting the idea of vol
that at some time the surface Of "eT the
moon may have bubbed over, and lancifully de-
to the bursting Of the bubble. In order to point
out what aid might be derived from the use
Of photography IN discovering the features of
the moon, splendid picture Of Copernicus was ex-
hibted, showing the radiations OF the chain.
The hope which some men held OF combining
photography and the microscope in the examina-
ton OF the physical features of the moon was,
however pronounced as altogether ilusOry also the
idea that by placing telescope on a nigh peak of
the Rocky Mountains, where the air is clear that
by the use OF huge telescope the moon might be
ties Of constructing such large and powerful teIe
scope as would be necessary to achieve this result
was pointed out and the project pronounced i'm
sary to construct telescopes capable of magni-
flying $4,000 times, and the largest existing that
out some of the difficulties that lie in the way OF
the astronomer and the danger OF general
the history Of the craer which
mad suddenly disappeared, thereby apparently
proving f that a. some activity prevailed; but after
the appearance OF the crater being due to libra
ton" or change OF position with regard to the
There are no changes Of seasons, the extreme
difference not being greater than We feel between
November and October, while the days are fifteen
days long and the night fourteen days. But
during the long day the surface Of the
rises above the heat Of boiling water while during
the night the cold Is greater than In an American
similar to those OF our earth could exist.
Perhaps the most interesting problem was in
volved In the history of the planets and how they
had reached their present state. What were the
causes to which was due the existence OF the
cratersS What end did ithey serve in the economy
of the mOOnP Were they the outlets for the escape
up the lunar gases, or had they been produced by
the bubbing Of the surface at q time when the
moon was In o semi-nuid state H they
had been produced by water, what had
become OF it and the gaseous resultsY
A theory had been advanced by Wiston
that comet had whisked away ocean and atmOs-
pnere but too much Is now known about the con-
stituon OF comets to allow accept this infOr.
nation. Another theory had been put forward to
account Tor the absence OF atmosphere
and water on the moons surface with which the
lecturer had been identified 1t was the frozen
theory; but 1t, too, had been exploded, and the
ideas upon which 1t was based, that the moon
was white, as proved. The moon in reality was
black, but looked white on the intense black Of the
interstellar space. The theory that the centre of
gravity was at the hemisphere turned from us also