River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-10-09
WHAT is THE MOONS SHAPE?
Is it an Ellipsoid, Egg Shaped, or Round Like
a Ball?

From the Rochester Democrat.
The moon, perhaps, presents greater
number OF perplexing problems than any
other member of the solar system. Al
though nearer to the earth than any other
or the celestial bodies, but very lit tie is
actually known concerning our satellite.
The whole theory of the moon, SO labori-
ously worked out, years ago, is found to
to be at fault and Hansen's tables are I'M
reliable. There is a deviation in the
moons mean motion that cannot be ac-
counted for.
The phenomena OF the moons surface
have been carefully studied for years; but
the causes of the remarkable physical
conformations can be but dimly conjec-
tured. The moons true form is the most
difficult problem of all. The moon al
ways presents one face to the earth; hut
even this fact Is puzzle. 1t is explain
ed that the moons axis points toward the
center of the earth, and the moon makes
single rotation during a revolution
about the earth, thus always presenting
one side of the earth.
The plane of the moons orbit is contln-
ually shifting, but this shifting does not
change to any extent the relative position
of the moon to the earth. The earth has
a grasp upon her satellite that will not
permit any shifting of position, except a
swinging motion of the mass nearest the
earth, like that of pendulum. 1t has
been abundantly shown by Newton that
if the moon were a sphere the earth could
have no such grasp. The conclusion is
inevitable that the moon is not a sphere.
The exact shape is still a question of
doubt. Lagrange insists that it is an ell
ipsoid, with the longer axis pointing to
the center of the earth. The extent OF
the elongation is question yet to be set
tied. Prof. Richard A. Proctor in his
work on the moon says: However, 1t
need hardly be said that no instrumental
means at present in our possession could
show the ellipticity of the lunar disc. "
Notwithstanding the assumption OF Prof.
Proctor, we believe that it can be demon
strated that the moon more nearly resem-
bles an egg than it does ball. Ruther-
fords stereoscoplc photographs demons
trate it, and the known laws of motion
bear out the theory. Photography will
probably be the only means of demons
tration, and this will he doubted by
those who believe the revelations of the
stereoscope are an optical illusion.
Rutherfords stereoscoplc views plainly
show that the moon is shaped like an egg
with the small end towards the earth. In
the stereoscope the extreme point, or To-
cality nearest the earth, is not far from
the great crater of Copernicus. From
this high point the surface does not re-
treat as in sphere. There is rounding
away to a certain point, and then the
distance retreats on line that is nearly
straight. The planet is so tilted by lib
Grafton that the observer can see the true
perspective and torshortening of objects
on he surface. The phenomenon could
be observed in telescope of large aper-
ture with power of fifty diameters.
The slow rotation of the moon and its
recent plastic condition explain its shape
The moon revoives on her axis in the
same time that she revolves about the
earth, or in % days, ~ hours and A
minutes nearly. This motion is exceed
ing slow-so slow that even at the
equator the centrifugal force is
very slight. In bodies like Jupiter,
which revolve with great rapidity
tn equatorial regions bulge ont by
centrifugal force, while there is a con-
traction at the poles. IN the moon this
action is reversed When the moon was
molten the centrifical torce at the equator
was SO slight that there was no bullying,
but the earsh's attraction drew out the
mass. lengthening it in the direction of
the polar axis, and keeping the axis for
ever directed toward tbs earths center.
Rutherford has waited and watched for
opportunities to photograph the moon in
such positions as would give the sterees-
xoplc effect Libration changed the
moons face sufficiently to give this effect,
as will be observed by consulting the
photographs Of the views of the first
1uarter. one was obtained March 6, 1865.
lie then waited six years for libration and
a suitable opportunity 20 get another view
that would give the proper effect. Be
tween the two views of the last quarter
there is an interval Of nearly SIX months.