The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-09-01
The Silvery Moon.
Extraordinary Discoveries Made by a Delaware
Astronomer.

Extraordinary Discoveries Made by Delaware
Astronomer.
The Delaware astronomer. j. &.
jackson. of Hockcssin. who claims to
have lately made some important dis
coveries in connection with the moon,
spoke at length regarding his investi-
CATIONS. He said that he had found in
looking ut the new moon that a white
mist was floating over portion Of what
is known as the mare crisium, a group
of volcanic formations well known to
astronomers. For an hour Mr.. Jack
son kept his telescope upon the spot.
marking out clearly a large cloud Of
vapOr arising several hundred feet above
the promOntarium agarum, which is at
the base Of the mare crisium. Owing to
the fact that tire terminatOr had moved
over beyond tho mare crisium Mr.. Jack
son was unable To witness the phenom-
cnon on the following night. He said
nothing at the time. fearing that he
might have made a mistake, but he
waited patiently for the next new moon.
which occurred on June II. At this
trial he was baflled on account of tho
cloudiness of the weather. On last Sum
day, 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 western edge of the mare
crisium against the promontarium
agarum, as he had seen it on May 10.
He watched it again until tho moon had
gone down in the west, and was fully
confirmed of the extent and Importance
of the phenomenon as effecting existing
theories regarding the physical condi-
ton 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 for
ty-eight hours after con uaction NEW
moon), Just as the rays of the morning
sun in rising over the mountains of the
promontarium agarum became Sufii-
cient to illuminate the west, but not yet
intense enough to dispel or separate it.
The fact that the moon is then but .
slender crescent generally low in the
haze of our horizon, seen but an hour
or so before setting. MIR. jackson thinks
| must be the only reason why it has not
been oftener witnessed. The import
ance of the discovery consists in that it
establishes fair promise for believing
that the theory that the moon is a dead
world is incorrect, and would appear to
show what has for years been denied by
nearly all astronomers, that the moon
has an atmosphere.
On Thursday night last, Mr.. Jackson
claims, he made another discovery in
nnnnnrfinn with fhi, wnnHnrfnl RlnnI
He distinctly saw at the apex of the pro-
mOntarium agarum. above which the
cloud has been seen, three volcanic era
tiers which have never before been dis
covered by astronomers, and he thinks
that the cloud is produced by the burst
ing of volcanic fires which opened these
new craters, thus further tending to es-
tablish the theory of physical life on the
moon. Mr.. Jackson says that when the
great telescopes of the world are direct
ell toward investigating this startling
phenomenon he has no doubt that dis
coveries of incalculable importance will
be made, which may revOlutioniZe our
present theories as TO the physical con-
dition of the earth's satellite.
Mr.. Jackson is a most careful and
painstaking scholar, and has been an
astronomer for nearly half century.
Thirty years ago he calculated exactly
the transit Of Venus which took place
in 1874, and has been a close student of
celestial phenomena ever since. He
was four years ago nominated for con-
gress. and ran against Col. Martin. the
present member from Delaware. -PhiLa-
deiphia Press.