, 1876-09-23

The Green Ftolds DlscornlbIc In tho Moon
Tho Theory OF Vegetation.
ScfsNtif6 american,


When tho moon Is at the full tho tlnasststcd
cye readily distinguishes on her face cortaln
dirk gray spots mpre or less sharply scparatcl
from tho brighter portions. Through tho tcle.
scopo these spaces appear as broad. level spaces,
resembling terrcstrtal scas. Indeed, tho earlier
observers mistook them for sens, and by that
flasne Latin, uare) they arc known to this tiay.
They nro not seas, however, bnt ancient sen
is s or ..ss 5e,s W. ss'E ss Es. Ss ts9 9a 9ss & ass
or the great Interior Utah Bas!n Of our own
country.
Examined more closely, thcso drictl.up sea-
bcds-to which Nelson applies tho irregular but
rolling surface, ltke some Of our Western
pralrics, or 10 ba teavcrscd BY numerous long
ridges, resembling tho wa7o-like san.l-hi1ls
which giye se marked and 1 particular ~ appear
leveief @ portions ~ being do:toa !2,,: WIZ M low
In many places, formations Of an .ap.
parently aliuvinl character abound, whilo
the ancient eoast.llncs slsow, distinct traces OF
wntcr-action. Two Of those lunar plafns--h{hre
uunortm and Alare Chrisi,m-are vailed IN
completely by lofty mountains, presenting stu
pcndous preciotecs to tle vanished sea- The
larger mares nro moro like occun.beds.. They
run together as terrestrial oceans do, and some
times inorge into the brighter, continental re-
gions without u distinct line of doluarkatioi. IN
other place. thoY show u rugged coaat-line,
rislng Into cliffs and peaks, and pierced at times
by valleys nnd rsvtncs.
Quo q the most conspicuous Of these lunar
ocean-bela, also one Of the deepest, is known
600 squire mtlcs. Within It's dark gray border,
from B0 to 80 miles wide, Is m oxtens!ve inner
green tint, with central steeaks Of pure WHITE
the green arca lying lower apparently than the
gray exterior. Tho, green tint is diGicult to
catch, except nnder favorable conditions, and Is
49,
white, round spots, and gray ridges.
Another Of the moon'e green plains wns dis
covered by Nladler IL tile Marc Humorunl,
already mentionti. Thia Is ono Of tho smallest
as we'll rs most distinctly ybor,lorel Of the dark
gray plains. 1ts area Is $1,000 mllcs. This
greater portion OF It's interior IL dlntlnctly
tinged u lusky sometimes very marked,
aEOrl!ng strong contrast with the puro gray
Of the borders md high taclostng ridges. On
tho west, tho green area extends nearly to the
Nfare screuitatts, 1t Is separ4ted from, tho bor-
der BY o narrow, daxk-gray fringe, except on tho
northwest, where tho gray and greun areas
merge insonstbly to each other.
Still another nrca of green Is observed In tho
Mare Christun1, cue Of the most conspicuous Of
the moon's dark plains. It Is completely In
closed, and Is, pcEhapst the deepest Of tho
lunar inares. Its arca Is 4, 900 sQuars miles.
n,l.takable ttngo q grocn, especially under
high illumination. This ycriant hue ID seen to
the best advantage for several days before md
the moon-as, for instance, tie darkenlng ot tho
great rin{s-plain Of Plato with increasing light,
and like changes In certain long, winding lunar
rallcys-lel Beer and Ma1lcr TO suggest thut
they would Indicate vegetation, were vegetation
possible on thu surface OF tho moon. but, hay.
lug accepted Dcsscl's conclusion that there could
be ncitl,er nIr nor water on tho lunar surface,
and consequently no life, those much respected
selonograpllers could not entertain tho lypotll.
esis OF lunar vegetation, however strong tho evi-
But Hcssel's opinion, ns our readers nlready
know, Is Inconsistent, not only with the cosi-
d!tlons Oh which ho bascd bis calculations, but
also with the results Of more recent studles Of
tho state Of tho moon's surface. 30 far from
being IN airloss, waterlcss, unaltcEablo desert,
= GhAngeleBs mass Of dead matter, like 80 much
volcanic scorln, the moon s now known to have
an atmosphere Of considerable volume and
physical activity mud change; md to have, In nil
probability, water enough to make life easily
possible o.. :. surface.
Tho moon ia dying, but very far from dead.
Bclng so much smaller than tho earth, 1t laa
way oil from tllut goal Of tultlmato deadncss to
which 80 many ASTRONOMERS haye theoretically
assigned II. 'Tlcso Ia not tho slightest adequate
evidence Nelaon says, Of tho popular View; aud
ats truth would DO udmlttcd by no astrono.
mcr who had doYotod sufficient nttuntton "a
aolonograpby to cuatlu him to thoroughly
realize tho probablc present condition OF TIC
mDun." .-
Such being the case, the hypothesis that the
moons green plains derive their color from veg.
citation ccnses to be impossible or absurd Tie
evidence Is not Of d character 10 justify pus
tive assertion TINT tho mythical man In the
moon usny have abundant pasturngo for hla cat,
tic; but his case eeases to be. absolutely
hopeless wilcn thorougll-golng sclcnos
| rnpher can say. aa Nelson does, that the
| iiluou lnny Pusscss Nh atmosphere thai
must be regarded as fully capable Of sustaining
various forms Of vegetation Of even all adyallc.
ed type that It does mt appear how 1t can lust
" be questioned that tho lunar surface, In favor
| nblc positions, may yet retain sniirlcucy oi
moisture to support vegetation Of niMly kinds
and that, in very considerable portion Of tht
entire surface Of the moon, this temperature
would not vary sufficiently to materially AiIcc1
| tho existence of vegetable life.
Who can toll but that the aforementioned
man In the moon lnay not follow tho plan OF ths
African tribe which LlyIngstouc tells OF, AMI
keep himself and Ills cattle In extensive luna
| cayGrns, where the temperature 10 uniform ant
| water abundant, driving them forth upon tAesr
green fields for fortnlghtly feed, when the su,
Is up for tts long days. and the Erasa is in goot
conl!tton1 Julcs Verne ought not to neEIee
! 60 inviting I deld OF exploration.
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