The herald., 1894-09-29
LUNAR VEG ErATION.

Astron omsr Gathmunn Discovers Some
thing Queer the Moon.
CHICAGO, Sept. 28.-Before company
of 25 or more friends and neighbors. who
met at his residence last night, Louis
Gathmann exhibited q model of his Sec
tienal lens telescope. He also anawered
the objections made by Astronomers
Hale and Burnham to his announce
ment that he had discovered what
seemed to be signs of vegetation ON the
moon. In answer to the objection that
astronomers with excellent telescopes
had never seen a green spot on the
moon, Mr.. Gathmenn said:
''There can be but two reasons for
this fact first no frHt-class telescopes
were in use for making observations the
night I saw the spot; second, If
observations were made. the telescopes
were inferior to mine"
Mr.. Gathmsnn said his sectional lens
had been examined by Prof. Colbert,
who said it had excellent definition and
would prove of great interest to the
whole scientific world. Many eminent
engineers had pronounced sectional lens
instruments superior to any other in
strument of the same size.
IA 20-inch built-up lens" said Mr..
Gathmann, with clear glass OF even
density, will be equal in power to any
telescope that has a 40-inch solid lens."
He then spoke OF his observation OF q
green spot on the moon.
about 8 o'clock in the evening OF
August 18th, in sweeping with my tel
escops over the face OF the moon, saw
spot OF vivid green ia the midst of
mountains in the valley OF Sinus Rori6.
Green was hitherto unknown among
the shades of the moon. l thought
there might be an error somewhere, but
after changing the eye piece six times it
was there each time-A well-defned
space of green.
"The idea OF It being an error of the
| telescope, is out of the question, be-
cause when allowing the moon to pass
through the whole field the strange spot
| kopt stationary ON the moon with every
magnifying power used. Seven persona
beside myself saw it, and it 10 not to be
supposed that all OF as were color blind.
"ff Luna has a fora it must be faI
| different from ours, because tho condi'
tions on the moon are vastly different
from ours ON earth. Science has not
progressed 90 far "a to know the kind ol
atmosphere prevailing in the moon. In
fact, all the elements Of the earth's at
mosphere are not positively known. Te
cay that vegetation cannot exist or
such large planet, is to make an as
sertion which cannot be proven. Lunar
vegetation must be very different from
that OF the earth. That Luna should
be without animal life cannot under
stand. On earth, in the Arctic region
where the cold ia intense. the yea
around. we find the polar bear, the whale
and other animals suited to the climate
and the conditions. If men had neve
known of the existence of these ami
mails, and il we common msn wer
asked if such animals exist there, WI
XRSRa|sar woSd TS 90 SIMPLY nop knSw say No
Because scientific men did not know @
their existence. they would conclud
that such animals could not exist there
That there 10 vegetation on the moon i
highly probable. but it does not follow
that the vegetation should be green
The greenish tinb observed August 12tl
may have been rare exception"
In conclusion Mr.. Gathmann said b
believed ths inhabitants of Mars wer
making signals to the earth, and b.
thought Communication between nsigh
boring plaaets, by means oil signals
would eventually be established.