Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-05-05
For the Freeman.
The Moon.
LECTURE No. 4.
BY HIRAM CUTTING, Pill u.


it gives the earth were doubtless among
the first astronomical observations made
by the rude nations of early time. 1t is
tfue the sun gave them more light and
heat, but it was too bright to observe care
fully, and rs its brightness obscured the
stars they had no means Of observing its
motion. rs they had the path of the moon.
AS the moon would seem TO have II reg
ular Period Of change. it was natural 10
reckon time by the number of moons be
tween events, and as early nations did thus
reckon time, there was great reason why
their observations of the moon should be
quito regular and constant. 1t was also
the orb OF reverie ard mystery, MS well AS
the orb that lighted them on their way al
night, and was of especial advantage 10
The shepherds as they watched their focks,
In fact, in early time, rs now, it was
rightly calculated to attract our sight and
occupy our thoughts. Regning over the
empire Of silence and peace, it seems
moro mysterious and solitary than any
other of the heavenly host. 1t is, in fact,
now, as then, understood the best of all
Astronomical bodies,
Since the invention of the first telescope,
which is only about two hundred and fifty
wears ago, astronomers have almost daily
Examined its surface, and time and again
mapped it out for future reference.
The first observations of Galileo did not
make less talk than did the discovery OF
america by Columbus; and all sorts of
B fancy stories were told of its cities and OF
It's inhabitants; even its highways by some
werc supposed to be fully discernabe. 1t
Was told of America that it was the land
q gold and precious stones, and possessed
the long desired fountain of life, of which
a man could imbibe and live forever.
81 The moon has land and rock, but no wa
ter or any atmosphere, and in consequence
tit is probable that it has no life, either ami
maj or vegetable. If it has. it must exist
sby rules and laws of which we know
.nothing and America has seemed to be
quite a matter-of-fact country, whore peo-
pie live ard die us elsewhere on earth.
Although we must look upon the moon
us unnhabitable, it still possesses great
interest, and it is the globe which all de-
sire to know about. 1t is two thousand
one hundred fifty nine and one-half miles
in diameter, and revolves about the earth
las Il centre in twenty seven days and
seven hours. In area it is about equal to
the American continent. Its distance from
s rs is two hundred and thirty-eight thou
sand, eight hundred and eighteen miles
or less than six times the distance around
our earth. AS it reyolves about its axis IL
ihe same time that it travels around oul
globe, its full day is a little greater than
twenty seven Of ours; or, in other words
ID has two weeks of sunshine followed by
Two weeks of darkness, us its days and
nights, owing 10 its slight inclination tc
its axis, are of nearly equal length. AS j,
has no atmosphere the suns rays without
impediment strike its surface and are never
pfevented by cloud or mist. Fourteen oil
our days with constant sunshine must heat
( lis surface much above that Of boiling
water. This is followed by night 81
long that with no atmosphere to prevent
|the radiation of heat the lunar hermome
ter must fall as low Us two hundred anC
( Fifty degrees below zero-a degree of colo
doubly more intense than Arctic explorers
ever experienced.
F& When he moon is examined by teles.
cope, even one Of moderate power, hei
Surface is seen to be marked by many If
y Irregularities. There are the large darl
$ regions which were formerly supposed t.
be seas, and now known to be the NOR
II level and earthly portions of its surface
4 while the mountains and rocky regions ar
the brighter portions.
Some of the dark sections are quit
level, and it is presumed that they may b
a ancient sea bottoms, as we can have littl
IN doubt but what the moon once had seas.
n is the internal heat of the earth that keep
s. or water upon the surface, and if GU
Il earth was cold through its entire mass, al
a our water, and then following, our atmos
phcrc, would be absorbed and pass by nat
ura laws beneath its surface, and theI
would come to us the present condition c
u the moon; which, being smaller globe
has, of course, cooled more quickly, thu
having passed by her habitable stag
millions of years ago.
But let US leave speculation and speak {
the various mountains, some in ranges lik
our Andes and Rocky mountains, but
much larger portion in circular ranges, 0
in immense volcanic craters. Many {
those large craters have an isolate
mountain in their centre as high or highe
than Mount Washington. These noun
aiuS reflect much light to us, and cons,
4 qucntly are the brightest portions of il
surface. Yet while they appear of silver
whiIcness they are composed of rocks 2
dark colored in most part as the talcos
rocks Of Lnenburgh. and some are muc
dukcr, in fact, almost black, or so dar
cololed rs to seem black. The soil,
course, rejecting less light than the rock
would naturally be darker, and so it il
The soil there, however. supports no ves
citation; yet the moon, through the III
chlngeable laws Of its Maker, has hat
and continues to have, Il purpose, and
t in the heavens by the hand of One wit
whom day is as thousand years, and
hou~and years as day; yes, might sa
ii million years as well, for naught is tc
gIeat for His hand to mould, and mould
well TO answer some great end. But IL
next feature of importance IS the exis
ence Of Il remarkable series of radiatir
streaks extending from some of the large
craters which were, when active, doubtle