The Moon: A Popular TreatiseServiss, Garrett Putman
Science
The Moon: A Popular Treatise
Serviss, Garrett Putman
Moon
“This time,” I said, taking up No. 14, “we are going to watch the
advance of night over the moon. Before, it was the march of sunrise that
we followed. Both begin at the same place, the western edge or limb of
the moon. Comparing this photograph, which was taken when the moon was
about fifteen and two-third days old, with No. 13, taken when the moon’s
age was more than a day less, you perceive, at a glance, wherein the
chief difference lies. In No. 13 sunrise is just reaching the eastern
limb; in No. 14 sunset has begun at the western limb. Having watched day
sweep across the lunar world, we shall now see night following on its
track. West of the _Mare Crisium_ and the _Mare Fœcunditatis_, which I
expect you to recognize on sight by this time, darkness has already
fallen, and the edge of the moon in that direction is invisible. The
long, cold night of a fortnight’s duration has begun its reign there.
The setting sun illuminates the western wall of the ring mountain
Langrenus, which you will remember was one of the first notable
formations of the kind that we saw emerging in the lunar morning. But
then it was its eastern wall that was most conspicuous in the increasing
sunlight. For the selenographer the difference of aspect presented by
the various objects of the lunar world when seen first under morning and
then under evening illumination is extremely interesting and important.
Many details not readily seen, or not visible at all, in the one case
become conspicuous in the other. But it is only close along the line
where night is advancing that notable changes are to be seen. Over the
general surface of the moon there is not yet any perceptible change,
because the sunshine still falls nearly vertical upon it. Tycho’s rays
are as conspicuous as ever. Aristarchus, away over on the eastern side,
is, if possible, brighter than before, and the three small dark ovals,
Endymion a little west of the north (or lower) point, Plato at the edge
of the _Mare Imbrium_, and Grimaldi near the bright eastern limb, are
all conspicuous.”
[Illustration:
NO. 14. AUGUST 26, 1904; MOON’S AGE 15.65 DAYS.
]
“But look!” exclaimed my friend, putting her finger upon the photograph.
“Here is something that you have not mentioned at all. I believe that I
have made a discovery, although you probably will not accept it as a
scientific one. I see here a dark woman in the moon.”
“I confess,” I replied, “that I am not acquainted with her, and do not
even see her. Please point her out to me.”
“She appears in profile, like the brilliant Moon Maiden, but is not so
much of a beauty. In fact I begin to suspect that she is the ‘Old Woman
in the Moon,’ that I have often heard of.”
“Positively I do not see her.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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