Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-07-30
TIE MOON.
Extraordinary Discoveries Made by J
g. Jackson, the Astronomer.

The Delaware astronomer, J. G. Jackson
| OF Hockessin, who claims TO have la,ely M ade
some important discoveries in connection
with the moon, recently spoke at Philadel-
| phia at length regarding his investigations.
He said that he had found in looking at the
new moon that white mist was floating
over portion of what is known as the mare
crisissn, group of volcanic formations we'll
known TO astronomers. For an hour Mr..
Jackson kept his telescope upon the spot,
marking out clearly large cloud of vapor
arising several hundred feet above the pro-
nloatarium aquarium, which is at the base of
the marc erisiGrl. Owing to the fact that
the Termination had moved over beyond the
mare erisiuzn Mr.. Jackson was unable to wit
ness the phenomenon on the following night
He said nothing lt the time, but he waited
patiently Tor the next new moon, which oc-
Cured on June 18th. At this trial he was
bafied on account of the cloudiness of the
weather. On last Saturday, however, all of
the conditions were favorable, and he
watched eagerly to test the correctness of his
observations. Sure enough the feathery
mist was there again on the westerly edge OF
the mare erisium against the proniontariuns
agarrm, as he had seen it on May 10Th. He
watched 1t again until the moon had gone
down in the west, and was fully confirmed of
the extent and importance of the phenome-
non as affecting existing theories regarding
the physical condition of the moon and her
atmosphere. His notion is that this cloud
forms by volcanic action during the |
lunar night of every month, and can
only be seen for one particular evening at |
about forty-eight hours after conjunc-
ton (new noon, just as the rays of the /
morning sun In rising over the mountains of |
to illuminate the West, but yet not intense
enough to dispel or separate it. The fac;
that the moon is then but slender crescent L
low in the hszs of our horizon
seen an hour or 30 before the setting, Mr.
Jackson thinks must be the only reason why |
ID has not been oftener Witnessed. The inn
portance Of the discovery consists 10 that it
establishes fair promise for believing that
be theory that the moon ia dead world j.
and would appear to show what
las for years been denied by nearly all the
that the moon has an atmos-
,here. On Thursday night last, Mr.. Jack
on claims, he made another discovery 10 |
with this wonderful cloud. He
distinctly saw at the apex OF the pro-
sonsariam agdr1m, above which the
loud has been seen, three volcanic
raters which have never before been
iscovered BY astronomers, and be I
Kinks that the cloud Is produced by the l
ursfing of volcanic fires which opened these
ew cfafers, thus further tending TO establish
be theory of physical life on the moon.
fr. jackson says that when the great tele- 4
,opes of the world are directed toward in
esfigating this startling phenomenon, he /,
az no doubt that discoveries OF incalculable
Importance viii be made, which may revo-
,;ionizs our present theories A. to the phys
al condition Of the ezrth's satellite.
Mr. jackson is q most careful and pains I
king scholar, and has been an astronomer
" nearly half century. Thirty years ago {
E calculated exactly the transit Of Venus,
hlch took place In in 1874, and has been a
Bee student of celestial phenomena ever I
nee. He was fsur years ago nominated for {
opgress, and ran against Colonel Martin, /
le present member from Delaware.