Evening star., 1903-07-18
MOONS VEGETATION
Green Tinge on Parts of the
Surface Claimed.
GATHMANN TELESCOPE
NEW ARRANGEMENT OF LENSES
AND WHAT 1T DOES.
Talk With the Man Who May Revolu-
tionize Astronomical In
vestigation.
GATHMANN TELESCOPE

by a simple and inexpensive expedient.
which promises to revolutionize astronomi-
cal observation and which has already dis
closed the presence Of atmosphere. vege
tation and. inferentially, animal life on
the earth's great satellite. is claimed by
Mr.. Louis Gathmann. the well-known
scientist Of this city.
This optical device, which he has been
developing the past ten years. Is given to
science gratuitouSly. and it is possible that
observatories may come into possession OF
telescopes constituted upon the new prin-
ciple, which VIII far excel in power any
instrument hitherto proposed for lunar,
planetary and stellar research. Mr.. Gath
mann. in talking to a Star reporter. said:
when, on the night OF August II. 1894.
the first appearance OF a green tinge on
q portion OF the moons surface dis
covered by myself and a party Of friends
the astronomical world was incredulous.
This appearance of a green spot indicated
that there was organic life on the moon.
and the astronomers had long ago decided
that Luna was a dead planet, that no
animal or plant life could possibly exist
there. The observation was made at my
residence in Chicago. and the peculiar APP
pearance OF the locality in the northwest
portion OF the moon. as 1t appears to the
observer through the telescope. was first
seen by myself At the time half a dozen
others were present, and, without telling
them what had seen, they, each in turn,
were asked to look through the telescope
and describe what they saw.
Each one of them saw the same spot
and 1t was concluded that all Of us were
not color blind and that the greenish color
was really there. The gentlemen who were
with me the evening Of the discovery were
]. Altman Austin. ]. =. Miller. Alex. CLAM.
c. c. Stringer Louis d. Glanz Of Chicago
and ~ x$ ~
discovery Of green spot on the moon
gave rise to considerable discussion
through the press. and 1t was generally look
ed upon by astronomers with incredulity.
These scientific gentlemen were not ready
to admit that their precOnceived notions
about the absence Of all animal and vege-
table life the moon were wrong.
1T was at first the opinion OF the scien-
tif1c world that and my friends had made
a mistake and some defect or popularity
In the lens of my telescope had led to
the appearance Of the green spots. Prof.
Pickering of Harvard University at that
time did not admit that the theory
of the moon being dead plant was wrong
To admit that there atmosphere
surrounding the moon or that there was
an evaporation of condensation OF a water
found there would lead to the possibility
Of there being both vegetable and animal
life. None of these things We're thought
to be present. and none OF them could be
present while the accepted theory Of the
scientific world was maintained as correct.
1t was one of the evidences Of the progress
Of modern science that since that time
Prof Pickering has also observed clouds
in the vicinity of the crest Of the crater
OF Tycho and also around the crater OF
Plato.
1.-The place where the discovery Of the
greenish color on the surface Of the moon
first made Is in the region known as
Sinus Roris. This green covered spot is
of comparatively small size alongside Of the
immense stretches Of vegetation-covered
areas which were afterward located in
Mare Nectaris and Mare Tranquillitatis.
Some idea OF the extent Of the green fields
Of the moon may be had by taking the
latter as a measure and bearing In mind
that it Is OF about the area of the state
of Texas.
The Moons Atmosphere.
'.The question has been asked why other
localities the moons surface do not
show the presence OF vegetation. There
are low-lying valleys. surrounded by high
mountains, and the reason that there has
not been a similar condition noted on these
Is probably because the view is obscured
by the mists or clouds which hang over
them during the period when vegetation Is
fiourshing.
There are many manifestations of the
presence OF an atmosphere surrounding the
moon and of the presence Of vaporized
water or clouds in that atmosphere One
which will be easily noticed without the aid
of telescope is the decreasing brilliance
Of the moons light from the first quarter
to the full moon.
This is in direct anita gonism with the
laws Of light. II the theory that the moon
Is dead or hos no life on it Is held correct.
II the bare rocks are burned-out relics Of q
volcano destroyed world. standing bare in
the light Of the sum- then when the sunlight
strikes them Obliquely as in the period
from the new moon to full. they would not
show as brightly as when the suns rays
are reflected directly. as at the time of the
full moon. Instead OF showing brighter at
full moon the contrary is true, and the
light Is clearer and brighter at the time
shortly after the new moon
IF the moon was a dead world, with no
atmosphere no water. warmth or humidity
which are so productive of vegetable life.
no clouds to float in her summer Skies nor
m.sts to hang over her valleys and around
her towering mountain tops. whence comes
this obscuration OF the lunar landscape at
the very time 1t would be supposed to be
the most plainly seel? AS long as the old
theory OF the moon being n dead world Is
held there IS no satisfa ctOry explanation
but when once the few facts which mod
ern observations have established are ac-
cepted the seeming mystery Is explained.
II have many times observed that after
the full moon. when the moon is growing
less in apparent size for a time the spots
on the moon grow darker. This is also true