The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-08-09
SUNRISE ON THE MOON.
Evidences OF Former Volcanoes Dis
covered by Telescope.

Evidences Of Former Volcanoes Dis.
covered by Telescope.
A Boston dispatch says: Last evening
a small party assembled to take q fare
we'll view through the object glass of
the great Russian telescope ere its de-
parture for it's eastern home. The in
strnnent was turned upon the moon,
and the result is thus told:
The solid earth slips away from under
their feet. They have left it behind
them. They ore one hundred miles
above the moon, sailing over its surface.
The scenery below the party on which
they fix their gaze is tumultuously irrep-
ular, and yet bears throughout . general
resemblance. Here ia specimen: A
circular cavity, the exterior on one side
and the interior on the other being
brightly illuminated. They call it a cav
ity, but in the interior it seems level ex-
cept near the center, from which
there rises cone or dome,
bright on one side. on
which the sun shines, and casting a
shadow on the other along the floor of
the enclosure: That central mound is
higher than Mount Washington. The
enclosing walls which fence it are hiah-
er still and the enclosure itself is more
than fifty miles across. This is the tyne
of lunar crater on Il grand scale. 9th
ers, however, are larger, their dame
ters being from two or three times that
which we examine aud covering sur
lace IN some instances of nearly twenty
thousand square miles. From this they
range down to insignificance, There
are more than fifty thousand craters on
the moon, which indicate how prevalen
volcanic action once was upon it's sur
face. What a spectacle our satellite
must have presented ut the period of
greatest volcanic disturbance. Fifty
thousand craters! many of them rival
ing in height the loftier mountains of
our own globe. Here they are mixed
together in intricable confusion. No
wonder if the observing party are be-
wlidered. They have no time to study
the craters in detail; they must take
them in en- masse. :
Now the observers are on the termi-
nator, that line which separates the
light and dark parts Of the moon and
which seems so even to the naked eye,
displaying now every conceivable ir-
regularity. What is that glittering in
the dark? Is it the reflection from some
artificial work flashing the suns rays
back. telling tale Of hahitation and in
dustry? No; it is mountain peak CATCH
ing the solar beam, while the surround
ing region is in darkness. On that peak
the lunar day is dawning. the long day
of 354 IL hours. Conld the party have
time to watch it they wonld see the sun
light gradually steal along its rugged
TANKS. and slowly the whole landscape
become illumined. But it would only
repeat in it's general features that on
which they had been gazing. AS the
sun gilda that mountain top does anv
living being hail the beams that usher in
the day? Now, il ever, is the ti...e to
ascertatn If there ia life in the moon.
The observers are gazing through the
greatest telescope in the wo rid. They
strain their eyes to see some sign, some
token that the landscape they survey
ts not q desert. They are willing to be
convinced where facts command convic-
ton. 1t Is grand, it is magnificent, but
the magniicence Of desolation. Where.
then. are the cities, the Notifications.
the cultivated fields. that charmed the
eye and delighted the fancy of the old
er astronon ers? Is it possible that these
once existed and are now no more?