The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-30
STARTLING DISCOVERY.
The invisible Moon" Found by
a Kentucky Scientist.
NO LONGER A MERE THEORY
That the Earth has Two 'ioons--The
Cause orImuar Disturbances that
Produce Storms aud Cy-
cIones-Thc DTscovercr.

LEXINGTON, KY, July 29.-The Drum
mT, weekly paper published here
which is much given to scientific sub
jects, publishes the following special
from Lawrenceburg, Ky:
Prof. ]. NJ. B. Birdwbistle, Of the
Lawrenceburg Academy OF Science, has
succeeded in making one Of the most
startling scientific discoveries of the age.
1t is nothing more nor less than the in
visible moon of our earth, which has al
ways existed in the theories OF scientists,
but has never before been discovered to
be a reality. Prof. Birdwhistle reSently
secured an improved telescope direct
from Berlin. 1t has mirror attachments,
with stained glass, which enables the
Professor to catch the shadow OF the
heavenly bodies on a large disc, even
when the sun is blazing forth in noon
day splendor. By the aid Of this i'm
proved apparatus, comets, stars, planets,
or any other heavenly bodies that are
lowering in the heavens during the day,
can be plainly seen on the face OF this
large rejecting disc. The heretofore in
visible moon was discovered by that
means Friday morning, about II clock.
It was closely skirting the western hori-
zon, and only its upper edge was visible.
Prof. Birdwhistle has made n scientific
measurement, and estimates It's bulk TO
be two and half times greater than our
own visible moon and It's distance only
about 10000 miles from the earth. It's
influence on our tides, our atmosphere,
our crops and the great storms, must be
simply immense, and will, in great
measure, account for the cyclones, tor
nadoes, and hot and cold waves which
sweep over the earth. These great
storms are nothing but lunar disturb.
ances caused by our powerful, invisible
satellite.
The visible moon makes its orbit in
path diagonally between the earth and
the sun, in such position caused by the
suns powerful attraction as to be invisi-
bic to the earth, except the upper edge,
us ii occasionally skirts our horizon dur
ing the months OF July and August (so
Prof. Birdwhistle calculates.)
Prof. Birdwhistle has Just telegraphed
his discovery to Prof. Swift, OF the
Rochester Observatory, and Prof. John
NJ. Klein, the noted astronomer OF Ken
lucky, and has received reply from the
latter, stating that he had brought his
instruments to bear upon the western
horizon at the point indicated, and that
he, too, had gazed upon the invisible
moon, thus fully cOrroborating Prof
Birdwhistle in every particular. That
the earth has two moons there is no
longer the least shadow OF doubt. The
following named leading citizens,
through the courtesy OF Prof. Bird
whistle, were the first people on earth to
see the outline of this, our nearest Celes.
tial orb, viz:
Benjamin T. Farmer, Mr.. L. Often
hcimer, Col. Paul Montfort, Mr.. L.
Bourne, Col. B, W. Mountjoy, W. A.
Bolton, Col. T. B. Ripey, W. II. McNIul-
len, l. Hoffman, George Hoffman, Judge
A. NJ. Portwood, A. W. Campbell, W.
J. Waterfill, Squire ]. A. Hawkins, NJ.
p. Gray, Lee Church, Dallas Crutcher,
G. L. Collins, D. L. Haley, Mr.. ], W,
Parrish and j. Z. Garner, Mayor OF Win
chester, KY.
Prof. Birdwhistle will send cable
gramto Edinburg University, Edinhurg,
Scotland, this afternoon, announcing his
great discovery, which is Of the utmost
importance TO scientists and the sCien-
titic world generally.