The Wilmingtonian., 1885-07-18
Is the Moon Inhabited.

The theory of life existing ON the moon
has been rejected by the greater number
Of astronomers, because, reasoning from
terrestrial facts they argued that the at.
tenuated atmosphere Of the moon, if it has
an atmosphere at ALL must be absolutely in
capable of maintaining animal existence.
That the Moon presents the same side to
our view is undouted ly owing to its peculiar
shape, which must be slightly conoid 1t
revoives around the earth in an orbit nearly
quarter of million miles away, and conse-
quently desribes a circular path about one
aud half miles in length, moving over
it at rate approaching three thousand miles
an hour.
The centrifugal force must then be
exceedingly great, and as the heaviest
bodies are thrown the greatest distance, the
heavist side of the Moon must be at the
extreme Of the radins and therefore its non.
rotation is accounted for. When we see
the same deeply volcanic face con-
tinually presented, we must remember that
we really are but viewing the Selenite high
lands, reaching far about the denser atmos-
turned from us, just as our mountain. tops
tower above our clouds.
The fact that the Moon has an atmosphere
is attested by the observations of Father
Secehi, Prof, Drew, the great Herschel and
many others who have seen the crescent
during new moon terminating in a grad
ully decreasing cusp Of light, similar to our
own twilight, which could only be produced
by the reCracton Of au atmosphere.
Many years ago the German astronomer
Gruithuisen, who made hundreds of observa-
tions Of the moon, saw and delineated a
figure in the northwest quadrant, consisting
of series of parallel walls branching of
from a straight central line, like the back.
bone Of a herring, and terminating at an
abutting wall.
This remarkable object was at times indis.
timer, as if ubscurod by mist, but the fact
of its existence was attested by many Euro
| pean astronomers, among whom werC
Prince Mettcrnch and Professors Schwab,
and Schmidt, all noted for the accuracy o
their observations. Its discoverer claimeC
that the figure was artificial and other
pronounced it to be fertilization construct
ed according to the best principles of mill
tary defense.
Subsequently the fortiicatiOn disappearet
and Professors Beef and Nladler, who unitet
in the study of the moon, denied its exis
tence and the charts published by them di
not contain a trace Of it, as they had dc
termined to reject everything,
But in 1888 the figure again appeared, no
in its original dimensions, nor exactly il
its first design, but smaller and with molili
ed outlines, one portion being omitted, as i
the defencGs had been destroyed and wer
being rebuilt Beer and Madler could no
dispute the evidence of their own senses an,
altered their maps accordingly, shown,
the figure above the equator, northeast o
the centre. Who built it
Now that the infalhble speetroscope ha
made its revelation, speculation may indulg
in its loltiest flight, and within this century
with othcr and more powerful Instruments
constructed upon improved principles,
more satisfactory view of our satellite ma,
be obtained, and we may yet be enabled t
see our neighbors, or at least their iabita
tions aud tleir homes