Evening journal., 1916-04-24

"a usually talk on subjects of cur
rent mterest-3hOrt the news OF the
day. But perhaps you will find a shot
scientific talk of interest every now
and then Would you like me to tell
YOU about the Moon
"Yes. please tell as about the
Moon said the boys.
Uncle Harry thought a moment.
THE Moon Is such an accustomed
sight In the heavens said Uncle
Harry. that when we see it we forget
that we are beholding a wonderful
sight--a heavenly body so close to us
hat we can see It's mountains and
plains.
How far away is the Moon?" ask
"a Joe.
Uncle Harry laughed. WELL said
be, 1T would be a good long after.
n0on's walk, but compared with the
distances to the planets and the fixed
stars. 70 is right at our doorstep. TO
be- exact. the Moon is just about 2S9,-
300 miles away
"Whew," said Jimmy under his
breath.
yes" smiled Uncle Harry. "Its a
pretty long way; II there were a rail-
road leading from the Earth to the
Moon and YOU took a train which ran
at sixty miles an hour and never stop
ped for coal or water, YOU would
have to take a Pullman berth for fve
aud a half months and you would
want a lot OF good reading matter
"Or an Uncle Harry 10 talk TO us,
added Joe who lodged to avoid the
coOd-natured pass Uncle Harry made
Al his head.
"The Moon goes around the Earth
once I'M twenty-eight days. just as the
Earth goes around the sun once
wear Its path is almost in line
in the same plane. they call with
the path of the Earth. As result the
Moon is sometimes almost in line
WITH the sun and our eyes are so
darrlad with the briliiancy OF the sun
light that We can't see the Moon az
au
Then fhe Moon moves along on its
orbits path you known and soon
che sun lights up just an edge OF the
Moon. Then He see thin crescent
Ci 'iEhf and we say there's the New
Moon and We wish on DO over our
Jet shoulder
~Theu after while the Moon
reaches a point on its path where the
SID Illuminate une-hall of DO. and we
ray fhe Moon is haifuil And then
about q week later. The Moon reaches
tte point in ifs orbit which is just
opposite The Sun. Then the fun disc
uf the Moon ls lighted up and we lcok
az ii and say. . gues SIS Full Moon
tonight
Here said Uncle Harry. "Well
have an experiment Jimmy get that
tennis bali in the hall Joe. turn out
al the lights in the room except the
lamp on ihe table and pull down the
window shades
Joe handed Uncle Harry the ten.
MS ball Uncle Harry looked ques
tiouingly a. the big glass globe on the
tabie-lamp and took a stand about ten
foot distant
Nov, he said. eve will let the
lamp on The table represent the sun
This tennis ball. which ! shall hold
about two feet from my head. will
represent the Moon My head will
represent the Earth
AS J hold the tennis ball almost I'M
line with the lamp. can hardly se,
II; the lamplight blinds me and the
dark side OF the tennis ball is toward,
mo
- move it 10 one side just a few
inches and see a thin crescent oil
iiel' on part Of the tennis ball on
which the lamplight falls: that repre-
sents the New Moon
Then move the tennis ball around
10 a point midway distant from th,
lamp. One-half Of il is illumined-oul
little make believe Half Moon: IN,
other half is stil dark and IS almos
Invisible.
Finally / move the tennis bal
around to a point directly away from
the lamp and all of IL is illumined
And there We have our Full Moon.
Here. Jimmy, try il yourself.
Jimmy took the tennis ball and hel,