Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-05-26
AN INTERESTING ECLIPSE.
AstrOnOmic observations in Egypt
Reveal New Phases of the Moon
Stiii % New COmet-PhotOgraphy

ono observations in Egypt
Reveal New Phases of the Noon
still a New COmet-phOtography
Of the Phenomena Observed.
A brief cable dispatch, announcing the
success Of the observations of the solar
eclipse ON Wednesday by the European
astronomers, who went to Egypt for the
purpose, contains two very interesting
statements. The first is that the spectro-
scoplc observations of the French astron-
omers indicated the existence of a lunar
atmosphere. If this atmosphere is Of con-
siderable extent, these observations NAV
result in some change Of opinion concern
ing the physical condition of the moon.
Many have held that there were indica.
lions OF a slight atmosphere in the moon,
put we have been so long accustomed to
hear our satellite spoken of as an ~airless
and waterless desert, and a " dead world"
that it would be a genuine surprise should
1t turn out, after all, that the moon is not
quite dead. Still, even if the moon has an at
mosphere, it is probably greatly rarefied, 80
as to be incapable of supporting the higher
ioi"o u INV Will WulCu buG CdTtH IS
stocked. The absence Of signs of water
upon the moon also initiates against the
notion OF its being inhabited. Those who
believe, however, despite the apparent alb
sence Of the first requisites for the sup
port of life, that the moon is not desti-
tute of inhabitants have always main
tanned, with a show of reason, that we
ought not to limit the existence of living
beings to such conditions and surround
ings as our earth presents. Because we
cannot survive unless we have certain
gases mixed in certain proportions, or, in
other words, what we call water and air,
we should not assume that all life is re-
strlcted in the same manner. In fact, the
earth itself furnishes sufficient examples
OF the very various conditions under which
life may exist to warn us against jumping
at any conclusions concerning its ultimate
limitations. If it turns out that the OBJ
servation just made in Egypt have demon
strated the existence of a considerable at
mosphere surrounding the moon, believ-
ers in the theories of lunar Availability
will feel greatly encouraged.
Tn other announcement that possesses
special interest is that during the eclipse
a fine comet was discovered close to the
sun. This could not have been the Wells
comet, which is still at a considerable dis
lance from the sun, being, in fact, more
than three weeks from its perihelion. If
it is a new comet, how happens it that the
astronomers, who are constantly sweeping
the heavens in search of such objects, have
let it slip into the neighborhood of the sun
without being detected? We do not recall
any other instance of the discovery of a
comet during an eclipse.
The important part that photography
has played on this occasion is another in
teresting feature. The observers, it is
said, succeeded in photographing the spec
trum of the corona, and also in determin-
ing the place of the new comet by the same
means.
There is thus every indication that the
full story of the doings of these aStrono-
mers who went down into the land of
Egypt armed with the marvellous instru-
ments of modern science will prove Of ex-
traordinary interest.