Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-01-30
THE MOONS SURFACE.
shadows of the Lunar Mountain
Nocturnal study.
bristol fS,ylor3N sfA,,,,-,-

Nocturnal study.
Bristol CEnglardl Mercury.
From the comparative proximity oi
the moon and the extreme readiness
with which VIC may discern the visi-
bic characters of the objects presented
on her disk, it is not surprising thai
our satellite has always attracted 8
large measure of attention. Before
the invention of the telescope, little
could be seen beyond few indefinite
dark spots, but subsequently 10 the
time of Galileo astronomers have ever
been endeavorlng
To decry new lands,
Rivers and mountains, in her spotty globe
As TO mountains and their allied
formations, large numbers have been
discovered upon the moon, but no in.
| dlcations of rivers or seas have ever
been distinguished. There Is, in fact,
no appearance On tho disk (surveved
with a powerful telescoBe and critical
| ly examined Ia detaiD which would
warrant us ia assuming that any con.
siderable body of water exists on the
moon, or that rivers or lakes form part
of the physical arrangements of her
exterior. The numerous clefts er deep
| furrows, some of which are of numer-
Gus ext:nt and form very interesting
objects of study, were supposed by
| GruithuiSen TO be old, dried river
| beds, but the idea is not substantiated
| by other observers, and it must be ad /,
mitted that these canal-iike fissures
on the inner surface remain involved
III mystery so far as their origin is
concerned, and We appear to be equal
ly In the dark as to their present or
future purposes with relation to the
other objects which diversity the sur
face of our satellite.
The moon is also found equally des-
titute of anything in the shape of an
atmosphere. A perfectly uniform
serenity pervades her general features
and enables them to be exhibited to us
with invariable sharpness of outline
There are none of the clouds or vapors
| which are SO common a feature of the
terrestrial atmosphere. We are thus
able to view the surface with great
distlnctness and to trace the details of
minute objects with a clearness and
perspiculty that would be impossible
under less favorable circumstances.
lt is evident that our satellite, though
1t may formerly have been involved
IN an atmosphere, is now devoid of
such an appendage of sufficient inten-
sity to be distinguished IN our tele-
scopes, though it is quite possible
there may exist little attenuated air
close on the surface, or in the interior
of some of the craters which abound
on her surface.
The most noteworthy characteristic
of the lunar landscape is its crateri-
form structure, which becomes obvi-
Gus when submitted TO the scrutiny
of any small telescope. The most
suitable period to observe these ap-
| pearances Is when the moon is in a
crescent form. At the time of the full
the effect is obliterated by the glare,
and the shadows of the mountains and
high walls surrounding the craters
have disappeared under Tie vertical
sun. Some idea may perhaps be
formed of the number of craters ex-
isting on the surface of our satellite
when it is stated that recently pub
lished chart of the surface includes
more than 80, 900 such objects Some
of these are of enormous dimensions,
but for the most part they are minute
objects, only discernlble with good
instruments.
There is little analogy exhibited be
tween the features of the earth and
moon. The disk of the lattsr presents
more the appearance of a precipitous,
cavernous globe, formerly the seat of
extraordinary convulsions IN the
form Of volcanic action, than of a
planet suitable for the sustenance of
animate creature.
Turned to the sul direct her spotted disk
Shows mountains rise, outrageous dales de
Scend,
And caverns deep, as optic tube describes.
The absolute freedom of the moon
from turbulent atmospheric vapors
has originated the idea of serenity
with which we are accustomed 70 re-
gard her appearance in the armament,
but, When we come to look closely in
to her constituent features, we see at
once that she presents the aspect Of a
globe which has passed through many
vicissitudes and changes, and has
now probably reached a stage of mac
tivity and exhaustion. The absence
of an atmosphere and the fact that no
certain instances of variation in any
object on her surface has ever been
observed support this view. But
this satellite IS none the less interest
ing ON this account, for we discern in
the wild and broken character of her
landscape the emblems of phenomena
of great import, which must have ar
fected her condition in past ages. 1t
is true the nature of these phenomena
is in great measure involved in mys-
terry, though their effects are SO strlk-
ingly apparent, but the correct, inter
pretation of them will doubtless be
ultimately achieved as more observers
apply themselves to this attractive
branch of astronomy, and endeavor
to search out, with appliances of great
er capacity than any hitherto con
structed, the meaning of SO weird and
varied confgura.ion.