Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-07-19
Famous French Astronomer Tells Why
He Believes the Satellite Still Has
anAtmosphere andMay Be theHome
Of INDUSTRIOUS Vegetable Life.
By Camille Flammarion
By Camille Fla1nmarion,
The Famous French Astronomer.

lunar atmosphere is Insignificant whence the
German astronomer concluded that this atmos-
phere, if it exist must be at least 900 times
rarer at the surface of the moon than at the
earth
But this conclusion is excessive, for the 90
cultations observed since then with the
greatest precision prove that this difference
is sometimes two seconds to two and half
seconds The received reason raised since
Bessels time against there being any lunar
atmosphere has more value to-day, and the
probabilities all point in the other direction.
He relied with too much confidence upon
the telescope determinations of the diameter
of the lunar globe. No one can have forgotten
the central eclipse of the sun which took place
near Paris. especially over Saint-Germain.
April II, 1872 That eclipse was neither an
nular nor total, and l suggested for this
special case a name which has been generally
adopted, "pearled eclipse" because the edge
OF the sun remained visible in the intervals
between the irregularities of the lunar edge
produced by the mountains of the moon pro-
1ected upon the luminous edge, and because
these slopes presented the appearance of a
string of pearls.
showed at the same time that henceforth
we should distinguish in our calculations
three diameters of the moon: l. The inside
circumference, passing over the plains and
valleys; q The outer circumference passing
over the summit; 8. An average circumference
between these two extremes. The extreme
circumference differ by at least two seconds
or about $4,000 feet and give for the three
diameters. 2152; 2,154; 2,15S miles.
We see now how far we are from the abso.
lutte circle of Bessel We may also remark
that the 49,.
spective according to the epoch and the libra.
tons or balancings of our satellite.
The moon may hide star either by it's
Illuminated edge, or by the dark side The
duration of the occultation may reach one hour
and hfty-fve minutes, if it be central. The
star disappears almost instantly. even when
it is OF the first magnitude which may be true
of four stars in the zodiac before which the
moon may pass: Aldebaran Spica Virgnas
Antares and Reguus. When the occultation Is
made by the dark side of the moon, which is
absolutely invisible, this sudden disappearance
always surprises the observer, although he
expects it.
Sometimes, instead OF disappearing Instant
aneously, the star shines through one of the
valleys of the moon, Of which l have just
spoken and is hidden only after some delay
Sometimes it is projected, like a small light
appears few seconds later
On February "a, 1904, / observed the occul
tation of Aldebaran, which was almost cen.
trail Aldebaran seemed like a reddish torch
by the side Of the moons golden light. The
star disappeared instantly behind the dark
eide Of the moon which was invisible But
another observer. looking at the same phenom
enon from another part Of the earth, observed
that Adebaran was projected upon the dark
cir rNF he g..
fore 1t disappeared The moon is SO near
our earth, only thirty diameters of the earth
away, that these variations are common. be.
cause of the different angle presented to OBJ.
servers.
April "a, 1913. Gheury. observing from Ell.
ham, England, studied the occultation az tha
star Pi OF Scorpio, OF the third magnitude
and ne saw very dim star issue from the
DISK which became more brilliant second
later. The observer attributed this phenom.
enon to lunar atmosphere sufficiently dense
to have settled down into a valley behind
which the star was hidden at the moment OF
emergence.
Inc OCCUPATIONS of stars lead us IN certain
cases. to attribute an atmosphere to the moon
varying in density. This density may vary
considerably as the temperature of the soil
OF this neighboring globe changes greatly.
The rays OF the burning sun heat It for long
period OF fifteen times twenty-four hours. and
should raise the temperature higher than that
OF boiling water; and night Just as long should
make the temperature fall every month below
freezing, possibly to 100 or 200 below zero.
The stratum which may exist on the surface
OF the lunar globe, and especially In the val.
leys is subject to these great variations.
Moreover, although during solar eclipses
the edge of the lunar disk is absolutely clear
and cuts the solar disk by . sharp interssc.
ton, there are. nevertheless. exceptions Thus.
during the eclipses of September 20, 1878, and
May II. 1882. the English astronomer. Noble.
saw at the two ends Of the curve of contacs
t-on.,