The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-14

on IN edge. A moments considerasiom WIN
show that when the moon Is new" Gha
earth would appear ''cid." or fun. could e
be viewed from the moon. the sunlit orb
possessing considerable refieetive powsR IL
NJ such time there should b vast areas az
clouds IN our atmosphere. the earth-shins
reflected from them upon the side Of tho
moon turned from the sun and toward the
earth. would be much more brilliant than
II from the surface OF the pisnes-whesheQ
land or sea- How siowing with light ara
atmospheric clouds and escaping steans
when the sen shines upon tnemi Aad this
by reason Of the multiplied reflections from
the minute g.cbales Of moisture. Tho
presence Of these unsual volumes OF vaDcr
in the air. perhaps not far away. - likely
10 make itself known sooner or later in tho
form OF rain or snow, depending upon con-
ditions of wind and temperature. And yet.
Notwithstanding the prognostic Is - Old.
and Is grounded on such a sound physical
basis. the true significance OF tho old
moon in the arms of the new Is some
times reversed In the Book OF Dayo
Chalmers says this lunar appearance II =
sign OF fine weather.
So-eaiiesa weather prophets and other
unnatural philosophers are responsible for
many amusing fancies that are often ac-
cepted as truths. even by educated people.
such as that food follows two full mcons
in a moath: thar il is portent OF evil X
the moon changes On a Saturday or =
Sunday. that the wind blows for week
from the quarter IN which the change OF
the moon takes place. that root CROP
should be planted only on the waue Of the
moon. and grain when it wakes. But the
number OF such vagaries II legion.
Doubtless quite as many believe that Il 10
a sign OF had luck TO see the moon over
the left shoulder as these that consider the
nottls on a breast hone of . goose an In
dicat.on of cold winter.
Praying for rain has no doubt been IN.
dulged in since man first titled the soil
scratching the earth with rude imple-
ments OF wood and stone. Even old L,lc1an
loosely tells Of the man who. hAving cut
his grain. prayed for dry weather. while
another fmplored Jupiter Pluvius to send
rain upon his growing cabbages.
As 10 the alleged power OF the moon to
change atmospheric conditions Of the
earth sufficient 10 affect the weather. ft II
only necessary to say that her reflected
heat can raise the temperature but
twelve-millsonths OF degree. about equal
10 the heat OF q candle twenty-four feet
away, and that the atmospheric tides
caused by the moon affect the harometric
pressure only few hundredths Of an
inch.
Every one has observed the apparently
seen just after IL has risen: the orb SEEM
ingly much larger than when at higher
elevation. The generally received explana-
ton is that. In some unaccountable way,
the lower atmosphere has a magnify:ng
effect. And yet. II Luna is viewed through
tube whose opening just takes In the
moon when near the horizon. and after
ward when on the meridian. IL will be seen
that there is no difference whatever. Il
IS altogether likely that the apparent en-
.argement Is produced by the effect OF un-
conscious cerebration. that We thus COM
pare the orb's size with that OF the terres-
trial objects nearly on lire with Il on
the horizon or hilltops. which are known
to be Of large dimensions. such az houses
or lofty trees whose scales OF angular
projection Is reduced In receding into tho
distance more than Is usually supposed.
AZ matter OK fact. the delusion II quite
the reverse of what we might expect, for
when the moon is above us II Is about 400
miles nearer the observer than when K Is
rising or setting; for In the latter cases We
are looking at II over the earths diameter
in addition to the distance from the sur
face turned toward II.
Pictorial representations OF our celestial
neighbor are often singularly ludicrous.
Not long ago a periodical OF the Arst rank
published an illustration wherein the sun
lit edge of the new moon was turned
away from its source OF iight--the cres-
cent turned up the sky from the hoFi3on.
An important painting by q well known
artist shows the crescent moon turned to
the left Of the Observer. This would have
been all right IL the time had been morn
ing-befose sunrise, with the moon In its
last quarter: but the subject Of the pic
ture Is Gray's ''Elegy IN Country
Churchyar1"--st evening. when ''the cur
few tolls the knel Of parting day" Some
small degree OF license Is permissible IN
tipping the crescent 10 = point or two for
better effect where the place OF sunset ID
to be within the picture. hat to represent
fair Luna turning her back upon her gem,
iai lord Is even worse than the Boston
sporting mans idea OF art. He, q may be
remembered. refused to take portrait OF
his bull pup that he had commissioned an
artist to paint (who OF course. had intro
duced the shadows and half tones requi-
site To q proper effect). on the ground that
the dog was ''tust as white on one side -
the other. and should be SO painted
A well known English writer, In describ-
Ing q supposed dawn. refers to the setting
crescent. Another author makes the new
moon rise at a. m., forgetting that the
sun rises before the new moon. In The
Rhine OF the Ancient Mariner" We Rad:
It'll elosnb above che eastern bar s.
The horned moon. with one bright star
Within the neither tip.
A phenomenon only applicable on the
supposstion that Luna had had hole
punched through her or had suddenly be.
come transparent.
one OF the astronomers of the Lick OBJ
seryafory lately called my attention 10 q
book by well known author that makes
Luna perform some wonderful 'lightBsng
changes" We read that after the sun had
set, a glow suffused the east, and pres
emily 1.-THE crescent moon peeps above the
plain and shoots ITS arrows far and wide.'s
On the following night -the full moon
rose in spiendor about TO- On the next
day there Is a solar eclipse, with total
darkness for haif an hour. A solar eciipse
is generally less Ahan eight minutes, the
extreme limit OF totality
The Westminster Gazette vouches for
story which gees to show that the Mixes
ard Dsnnises are not the only ones that
make strange discoveries when s'full."
Two commercial traye.ers In a country
town Of Scotland arranged TO sit ND to
view an eclipse of the moon. which was to
occur toward Yuor.siuv The accoYu rrnda 4.