Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-11-28
ORIGIN
Of CRATERS ON
THE MOON
INTERESTING ADDRESS
BY PROFESSOR SEE
Naval Astronomer at Mare ISL
and Would Upset Theories
Long Held by Scientists and
Cites Strong Proof,


ny Morning journal Special Leased wireI
san Francisco. Nov. 27~E Extending
nnd completing his researches on the
origin 81 the planets and satellites OF
the solar system, earlier accounts OF
which we're made public Ia January
and June Of The present year. Pro-
fessor r. ] j. See. United states navy,
and in charge of the naval
observatory At Mare island, gave to-
night t. the Astronomical Society OF
Tho Pacific ar explanation OF the orr
gin OF the eater of the moon. and
then proceeded TO apply the nov
theory to The otliauities OF the planets
which. he said. osercame the last diff
ficulty in the way of the capture
theory" recently advanced by him as
s%upplantfng the nebuiar hypothesis of
Iaphace.
Professor See that the
lunar craters we're undoubtedly due to
the impact Of smaller satellites against
the surface Of the moon, and not to
volcanic action. as had been generally
believed since the time of Calico. The
view that the lunar rraters might be
du. To impact. he said. had occurred
10 Proctor as long ~ AK 1873, and
had been mentioned as "A curiosity by
Newoomb in 1873. while it had been
more fully developed by Or G. X. Gil
bert Of the United States geolog
zeal survey ia 1892. But the inn
pact theory had never been accepted
by geoiogists or astronomers, n was
not mentioned Ia any recent works on
astronomy. so great has been the froce
Of traditional opinion incllning to the
old volcanic theory
Professor See. however, pointed out
detailed reasons which, he claims,
were absolutely decisive against the
volcanic theory and remarked that
there would now be less difficulty in
seeing the truth of the impact theory
than formerly because he a recently
proved that the moon IL not a part OF
the arth thrown off hy rapid rotation,
but a planet captured from space. The
new theory Of the capture of the
moon, he said, a been mvorably re
ceived by the scientific world, but 1t
would be of still greater use in bring
ing TO light other discoveries, such as
those announced tonight.
Or. See said the typical crater on
the moon was q very large circular
depression with steep walls inside and
sl0ping walls outsidos and "a small
peak in the center. with the top of II
below the average level of the lunar
surface. II any one supposed the era
tiers To be volcanic. II was impossible
10 account for the depressions where
the c~raters stand and no froces ti-
recied from within could dig out the
circular trough about the peak In the
center Then. too. the way the era
tiers lie over one another shows that
they are nothing hut satellite inden-
tations. About the eve c%rators, as
Copernicus. Tycho. Aristarchus, etc.
the bright rays radiating in an direc-
iion show that at the time of the col
lisions the force of the impact was
such that matter WAS melted, vapor-
lied and driven out from these centers
in al directions, A satellite hitting
the moon might hayc its temperature
raised 10 four thousand degrees or
higher. ana the bright rays from the
craters we're due 20 the spntterlng Of
highly heated matter.
The blazing flash seen in target
practice when "a shot hits the target
WIS familiar 10 officers OF the military
service. and the f%lattcning ana spread
ing Of the pro1eetile was such As 20
give a peak IN the center of the mash
ed she'll. while al the same time a rim
Is formed around IL. Just like that
seen about the craters on the noon.
But the shot fired Ia the mightiest
taget practice on earth Is ms moth
ing compared to that In the heavens
where satellites from twenty to fifty
miles In diameter had been hurled
against the lunar surface with "A velae-
ity Of over a mile u second, Hnd thus
produced blazing contlagrations some
times covering the whole side of the
moon.
Professor See pointed out that many
OF the cratcrs are largely covered with
cosmic3u dust q kind of metallic or
rain. which had fallen from such
c-onflagrstions There is no air about
The moon In which IL could long re-
main suspended He said tina the
had never mad any seas or
smaller bodies OF water. aud tina the
mountains were entirely due To-
impact of satellites against the SUR
face hut thought that most of The
great collisions had occurred before
ne moon wac captured by the earth.
md. therefore while the moo MAS
,ull revolving la The region nov or-
.upied by the Asteroids Tho smuilcr
Asteroids are about the size of thu
FALLING bodies which have produced
Dee lnrR- lunar orators from twenty
.o aiNtN milvs across This g. about