Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-02-17

stances four times as much material
as it does on our earth. This
view is in perfect accordance with
observation. which has shown that
the mountains in the moon are much
higher than those on our earth. par
ticularly if we take in account the
smaller size of the moon; of tie two
spherical bodies the moon. therefore,
has the most irregular conformation.
As the rotation of the moon is so
much slower than that of our earth,
being only once on its axis during
twenty nine days, the time of its
revolution around the earth, there IS
no appreciable difference in the
length of its polar and equatorial
diameter. while in the case of our
earth, the equatorial diameter is
some twenty-seven miles longer than
the polar axis. an amount surprising
the highest mountains on our Garth
some five times. AS the moon turns
always the same side toward us, it is
argued by some that it has no axial
rotation, and this is true in regard to
the earth, but in regard to sun it real>
ly revoIves. and its different sides
receive successively the solar rays, as
we may observe during the so-called
phases of the moon.
When those phases are carefully
noticed with a good telescope, es-
pecially some days before or after
the new moon, it is seen that the
uneven projecting parts throw long
shadows. which become shorter i'll
proportion as the solar rays COM
Learer to the perpendicular; by meas
uring the lengths of these shadows,
the height of the mountains has been
calculated with the same accuracy
as we may perform the SAME opera
tion on "ur planet, ard the different
mountains and plains have been map
pe out, in doing which photography
has recently been Of great assistance.
The study Of these details by means
of the modern appliances has explOd.
ed some old notions about the exiS-
tance of land and wafer on the moon,
about its atmosphere. and even about
its inhabitants. There is no such a
thing as water or atmosphere IN the
moon, and consequently no rain, no
seasons, no a!luviaI lands. no place
where plants can grow, and no ami
mails TO be fed by The plants, conse-
quently there is no life in the moon :
it is, to all intents and purposes, a
dead satellite. In order to obtain a
clear insight into the conditions of
Nature there, we have only to inves-
tigate the natural condition of the
tops of our snow capped mountain
ranges, the Andes or the Himalayas.
They project SO high up from the
earth's surface that we may practi-
ca lly consider them as without an at
mosphere, and at midi day the sun
pours its tropical rays on their tops
without raising their temperature
enough to melt the snow. Suppose,
BOW, that a large mountain top OF
this kind is raised 100000 miles high;
there is no reason to believe that the
sun would communicate more heat
to the same. and if we increase its
mass to the size Of the moon, the
solar effect will be all the same.
This shows the absurdIty of such
reasonings as these which ascribc. to
that side of the mOsn on which the
sun is shining, burning heat, and
to the other side the opposite; nc
doubt the hitter side is still colder
than the former. but the whole moon
is always at temperature far below
the freezing point, and even far be-
low that of orr highest mountsin
tops. This view is cOrrOborated by
several eminent astronomers who
being familiar with the details of the
moons surface, found the very same
details when ascending the Peak OF
Teneriffe, which is an extInguished
snow-cOvered volcano. The exam
inatiOn of the mooou shows indeed
more indications Of volcanic eruption
than the earth. where the great por.
ton of these indications have been,
as it were washed away by the effects
of the atmosphere succession OF
heat and cold, rain and frost, has
abraded mountains, decOmpOsed
rocks. and changed them into earth
and clay, and distributed them in
valleys and basins. and broght the
earth's surface 10 condition in which,
next in Importance to an atmosphere
containing oxygen, carbOnic acid and
water, is essential to the existence Ol
vegetable aud animal life.
We must then conclude that the
moon is the opposite of the fun. In
the latter body, temperature pre-
walls. perh ips. exceeding any heat
we shall ever be able to produce; in
the moon a most intense cold exists.
If this body has not yet cooled down
to the temperature Of the absolute
absence of heat, which most propably
is 1903 below the zero Of Fahrenheit,
it has at least reached, temperature
certainly far below the freezing point
of water and even Of mercury, al
which the solid6cati0n takes place at
70S lower.
1t is. at the present day, very
amusing indeed to read the old pub
lished accounts Of the observation Oi
the German astronmers Schroeder
and Gruithuizen the latter of which
imagined. in 1922, that he saw a
citv in the moor, with regular streets,
and surrounded by wall; and in
1926, Re believe he saw three ne"