The Moon: A Popular TreatiseServiss, Garrett Putman
Science
The Moon: A Popular Treatise
Serviss, Garrett Putman
Moon
“Then I will try to recall some of the names that you have been telling
me in order to indicate where you should. She faces west and occupies
most of the eastern half of the disk. Her head is under Tycho, toward
the northeast, I suppose you would say. The bright double ray that you
pointed out in one of the preceding pictures lies across the top of her
head and over her ear. Her face seems to be formed by a part of the
_Mare Nubium_—you observe how well I have learned your selenographical
terms—and her hooked nose is composed of a kind of bay, projecting into
the bright part below Tycho. Her front hair is banged, and the _Mare
Humorum_ constitutes her chignon. She has a short neck, and a humped
back, consisting of the _Oceanus Procellarum_. Copernicus resembles a
starry badge that she wears on her breast, and Aristarchus glitters on
the inner side of the elbow of her long arm. The _Mare Imbrium_ seems to
be a sort of round, bulky object that she carries on her knee, and she
appears to be gazing with intentness in the direction of the _Mare
Tranquillitatis_.”
“Ah, yes,” I said, laughing, “I see her plainly enough now. I really
cannot say that your discovery is likely to be recorded in astronomical
annals, but nevertheless I congratulate you upon having made it, if only
for the reason that henceforth you can never forget the names and
locations of the lunar ‘seas’ and other objects that you have been
compelled to remember in pointing out your ‘dark woman.’ In truth, her
features are almost as well marked as those of the Moon Maiden, but you
will hardly be able to find her again, except in a photograph, or with
the aid of a telescope, because you must recollect that this picture
shows the moon reversed top for bottom as compared with her appearance
to the naked eye, or with an opera glass. But please look again at the
objects along the western edge, for we are about to turn our attention
to photograph No. 15 in which this will be no longer visible. You must
say ‘good-by,’ or rather ‘good night,’ to the _Mare Crisium_ and the
_Mare Fœcunditatis_; for you will see them no more, until another lunar
day has dawned.”
We next picked up photograph No. 15.
[Illustration:
NO. 15. AUGUST 28, 1904; MOON’S AGE 17.41 DAYS.
]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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