.%. ^nOc- ^r^%- IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) fe ^/ <_ ^ J^'^. :/. d 2c 1.0 1.1 I^|2j8 |2.5 ^ Ufi 12.0 IL25 i 1.4 i^ — 6" V] */] s % ^y '> > m /A / '/ Photographic Sdoices Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14680 (716) 872-4503 •\ \ qv N> ^^ HAM I] TON: SPECTATOR PRINTING COMPANY. i«8i. ..M -v-*cl0i f rrattic cuuv.' ill!,' of hfcr phii cnrreiio'- aud have a;, ooiit rafiiiioridl an this the okloH attost. T)ie i tbo oiliest s show that in )ihaH08 of the ihtonco was ii hiH}:!Uagus liei ilayj^ of th« ' tiquity of tli( La|)hice lony ut' the week a astrononiica] inodoru, has 1 iiyth and fan( lias been fain watcli her wil (isophy has vi of cosmi jal hi to contribute sptieres. Anti til tilers, by sii thought to 1 left by tliein a miraistakably to the moon's It iy true th iiieviy paid to ^ though the ag ))ived with the succeeded by i whic,]; retains their errors. I'ur cattle, pn vests and vin but our lunar wervatories sh llueuce. Th^ did not die ; v coiisidoration a ounstitueut study of her world we live like a halo arc and suporstiti but happily it almost iinpe line of our u prosaic, kuow The moon ii l^ears to follow r-* i^ /^ ^v iUliat JlDtronomcv0 San of tlie |llaaiu By H. B. WITTON, Esq. Except the Hun itself, none of the heiivenly lioilies luiH iittractoti so iiiiich attfiitinii us tliu moon. Jloi'sizo ami uiiariif^ss to the eiirtii. tho subdued splondoi- of licr !ij,'bt. lior aj'))aroiitly crvattic couvsoin tlio lieuvciis, tliG nii>iii chau;,'- iut^of htr piiiisoH, with tho fretpieiicy of their ve- i.'iitTeiif"" and tlie weird ciToctsi of her 0(;lii)S0H, have II,;. oontril)utod to umko lier from time ini- mouioi'iiil an object of iuturost. To tho truth of tiiis tho oldoHt aud mosti'ecent literatures alike aitost. Tiie Sutras and Vedic hviniis oi one of tlio oiliest stems of the Indot^'ermanic race sliow tlHit iu the early dawn of eivilization tho ))hasoK of tho moon were personitied, and her in- Ihionco was invoked with solemn rites. In many lan!:!naf,'es her luimo has been t^iveii to one of tho days of the week. This iu itself proves tlus an- tiquity of tho res])ect she luiH conimnnded, for Laplace long since showed the names of tho (hiys of tho week are the most ancient monuments of astrouoniical knowledge. Poetry, ancient and nioderu, has thrown around her lovely veils of nyth aud fancy. The most prosaic iitilitarianisni hiis been fain, in the interests of conmierce, to watch her with iinremittiuK attention, and i)hil- osophy has vied to do her honor. In hi-! system of cosini sal harmony Pythagoras con(!eived hor to contribute tho highest t( le to the music of the spheres. And our own less imaginative fore- fathers, by such names as lunar caustic, selenito thought to be moon froth -and lunatic, words k^ft by them as|a legacy to our current vufuibulaiy, unmistakably show the potency thev attributed to t'io moon's influence. It is true the kind of re^jiect which was for- meily paid to our satellite no longer exists. But, though the age of faith in her ojcult powers ox- )iircd with tho astrd^omor and alchymist. it was succeeded by an age of intpiiry and knowledge which retains their devoti Ihoir inootliH and .V<'iirH from ovt-rhiiminu'. I'hiH in sfon \\\ the '(!r«;i'k OlvnipiiidH, whiih aro tiilm'iitc'd from 770 li. <' to-jJdA. 1). Thuy i>rlt.'ii:iaod from holdinu at Dlymimt iiatioiinl RiinitiH lot i ini- or f)v(> days in Hucr.osHion at thi3 tim« of tlio rlrst full mooi; after the summor solstico. 'I'luj celithratioii »)f rtiliKious ybmirvauceH at tlit» prop«)r timos mid BoaxoiiH mado it obligatory with the (iroeks to liavo a (U)rroct di"'isior.i of titiio iiitotiays and niuiitliH and yoars ; and taking, as th«y 'lid, the timo of tho uartli'ri nuxion aroiuid tlio sail to do- termine their yoar, and tha*) of a hination for their niontli, th«!ir oalfU'lar waH not Keoi ri"4ht without troiiMoi Tor a lout; timo thoir moutlis alt«>rmitely comprised iii and :tu days ; but an a hiuatiou "is not *^ho exact mean lietwoeii the i two, ttioy wore coiiioHlleil to nrraiiae occasional corri'L-tidus. Ouo of tliewo correctionul di-viors | was- tlio ce'obratod <'ycU> of Metou, It was i adoptod four liuudrod mid tliirtv-two years licforo ttio Christian era, and tw tlic time it takos the earth — or as tlniy thoiiglit tho suu—aud the nrxin, to ij'.uke thoii ciniuits (.)f trans'ation. ThiH i-yole included a piM'iod of niiu-teun yoars, sevon of which iiad thirtc.-ii, tho rnmawnlcr l)ut twelve montlis (Micli. making; for the cyclo •J;t.'i niontlis. Olio buiiilri'd iiiid ten ot thosi' iiioliths worn '.•ullod hoUow. and liad but li"' dass tsafb, aii'i on(> hiin- mouths, luadf up ol'i.'.'io days As this nuiul'iu' ot (lays is (Md\' 't^ liour^ nioro than li) tropical revolutions of tho oartli, and 7i hours more than 'i'!."> luuiitions, tlicro was but a small discropaiK y loft for siibsrcpit nt ooiTPotion. This oyolo, callo'd tlu' (ioldon Numboi, i-i stdl usod to detorinine rho timo, of l'".astt>r. as tlio Sunday fol- lowiu;: tho first full moon aftr-r tho voriial eiiuiuox was louf,' .mo appoiuted by ooclosiastical ■authority to beM>bsorvod as lOastor fSiiuday. So throut;h those, lont{ conturios, tlioro is ii tliroot Knk botwuon the time of our ("hristnui observ- autes and tho old (ireok astrouoniorn who took tho motions of tho luoon as a moasuiii ^d' tinu'. Astronomers ooutcnd that tho lunar luotions strictly accor.l with, and lucidly illustrato, tho fundiunonta) pniuuplos of thi.-ir science. \ oom- oroiiensivo statoment and oluoidution of wliat tbose principles aro would taK tin- skill of a speciuiist who had t.'ivi'U to their study tho devo- tion of a iifotimu Stiii, n ovirsory Rlaiico sr.fHrcn to show they art^ primarily base(i on tho coincp- tinn of Copernicus, thai tho earth has a dally axial rotation and an annual transluiion round tho sun ; (Ui rho discovtuios of Kepler, that tho , ftau'ii of fi planet's orbit is an ejiilipso about it.sA^ primary as a focus; that tlu; aro is swe]it by the radius 'vector of a planet are i)rop(irtiunato to the time (d its motion ; and that tlio .-(]uari s of the periodic times of ]>laiiot,i aro in jiroportion to tho cubes of tlieir distnnces from the sun. If to those dihi'o'.orios wo add that of Xowtou, by which thoy are conttruK^d, namely tho discov- ery that all bodioi attract each other prbportionai;elv to their mass, and in inverse iiroportion to the squares of their distances, wo have tho foundatiiui on which tho astronomer has raised his aui^jniticont structure. Those laws (d' Kepler, are marvelous >.'onerali7.a- tions of the j)osiliou aavas n realitv. The hyiiothesis of Newton ha-i bet-n 7^ubs(arltiato^l bv tlr most care fill e\i>eiinionts and observations, and now ranks with ovr most oxact knowledtio. Hcsiilts doduced from bis 'boorv have stood the most scrupulous comparison with the tacts id' lutual observation Some years auo oiKht thousimd v.bsorvatuuis oi the moon's position iit dilferent timo-- iluriii;; a jieriod of eighty years were, under the direction of l'rofo-»ior Airy, oomiiaroil ^'. itii the place ai wl.ch, acoirdiut; to .Newton's theory, it would hi lit the time of each of those observiitions. Kacb tboorotical plare was computed soi>arately and iudopeudeid.h . The work took a body of I'lilciilii tors I'iKht x'oiirs. at a cost of t l.ioo.'aiid the auree- nieiit fuli> sustained the truth of .Newton's thein-y. ff the iii'^rm revolv 1 aruiind thi> earth subject only to tlie force of noir mutual attractum. her orbital mot i(ui no. M present no po'-uliar dlHi culty to the e^yactnoss t.ie time of tho meridan of observa- tion, but it vas very ditlicuU for tho seaman to find out wlat,at the same absolntt instant of observation, was the oxact time at his first meri- dian. To ouablo him to know this, two plans were suggested t)iie was to procure more accur- ate ti'nekee|)ers. The other was to f^nd the time at the first meridian by a careful observa- tion of the angular distance betwoon the moon and souio star or planet. As tiiiiokeeiiors sutll- I ci«!ntly ace gestod VlllleO, ,ini lit II lir'tn J well kiiowi roducoil tl tUe eiirtn'sl of ob crvat ; ivpeii II stiJ H., "1 at th[ thai istatJ from L .-o h| only difToK of HO niiui .listttuce a| when trom iu Kuaco is | an liour Charlns th^ Hlli'b tllble advance, v men. Ho .bUiii KlamI niissi •uers.r The King iJ .lata for SI tions of avi nowhere cii ot any siu-v -ervatory p iiii;ed S.' own instru salaiy of 1' accurao; sth r.s, ant tions, Iu death, an a iug five tho tables whi within 15 s< by compa; for a porioi of (rottinge them in 177 soon after i m'liiac vas used iu it. offered, am essay oouii problem of ce'veil the famous ])rc locities, ini path of oiu all inoveiu tion '.' The luui fallen into J-\/r these y Vorkshire itterly fai: but whose not afl'octe timable se meters ha^ Parliamoi: from tho 1 li'; the J tauces of t>. planets oa to a set oiv every tui'" meCUod ol tervenim? purpose, !i lunar dis lauiar T".. almnuac i precision sea can nt nicking U] broke.u At t';!! cent 1 11 way, aiu guide bin bis uautii the breali SELF.XOGPAPNY. H next hirn thoy are ror poiiitfxl to tiutL I's thooiy led liim ti* Mn' hiiii. mill tv.tiiity iit;li hiH toltll«'HiH of iti'il by til' iMost nirc Itioiis, iillcl now iiuiks lit-'C. Itt'HllltsillMd.fCd the iiiont si'rii|iiil(iii~ if iictuiil i>l)scrviitioii iitii'l w'lKnivations (ii iToiit tunes (Imiiii; a iiikUt till' ilii-cctioii il witli the iiiiicf III 's thuory. it would Im ohscrviitioiin. Kiii'li iiitud st'i'iLnitc'ly mid lok M l;odv of ciilclllil fl. llKi.'mid the iinivc tnitli of Newton's lid the earth subject iituiil iittractiou. lier nt Do po'-idmr diHl Mi'T. For w - know iter wiia loiic H^'o so dietions made Hoiiie iii; would pa*', nien- i.vo c()rrt;M))o,i({cd to ilf a HeDOiid. But in ' till earth the uioon ion of the snu. and it of thophiiictrt n> ;ir moon's oiln'tie oridt, llano of th.it orbit t>i •• Kun'ri attraction ih a itli in defn-ei! antl di- tioii ot tiie moou'H most (iiUicnlt tasks lolo tietil of physical irUital eloii Mit^ on ii*e IiiiKod iibderfjo, the sun, periodical tlie iuoqualities .>X These lunar ele- II tlio better elass of " lunar ineipiali- k' ti.'e present As- 1 hiH exposition of ■i book was written mathematical odii- Loril liroiigham — tiiiii'ar wrk— to be of the Newtonian ever likely to be istronomical value the motirns of the with '»xtietnes ■. her in^ time, the desir- vi!4iitioi;.of ai-liiev- hitter jiart of the advanced Ljovern- 1 extenKion of oom- III the discovery of ible to rind some icli seamen could Almost ovevt' ilo depends, av Ta / lii'imrate dilferenee/ a first meridian Kiiun where the anc" can be easily in time At the itlicult by moans 111 wit), tolerable ridan of ol)serva- )r the seaman to )S'ilnti, instant of i(! at bis first nieri- fhis, two plans •ociire more accur- was to find the careful (jbserva- etweon the moon tiiiU)kee])ers sufil- ciontlv accurate were v.ii to be had, it was mij,'- He.steit the only clmice wiis tii w'irK out in ad- vance, and till", lull' the exiict annular diMlaiicoH, at a tir't meridian, between tlie nioon aud soniu \\ ell kii>>wn Htars. '•'heHe dIsi.iMces were to be reduced to what tliev wmild be ii seen at tile eartirs center, Il id to iie arraiiked for any hour of ob eivation. Nov m the ui:i;ulitr dlslaiioe be tivp(>n a star and tl.<) moon in ue.'ncifiiirily the H. -'i at the saiiio moment of al>sol;ii« time, if tliiii. istanoe be obnerve 1 at the Ha;ue iimtant from i -.'o stations not in th< hiiiiio loni;itude. the only dilTeienco in the obseivatioos will be that of HO miuiy hours of local time, accordiin to the .iistduire apart too two statioi-N may be. And when from sneh ditfereni'oin time, the ditTeronno in KoacH is worked out in the rati i of 15 def,'' to au hour the corritct ionuitiMe in obtained. Charlan till. Second was inforniod in 1(171 that Hii.di tiibles of lunnr distiiiees. If prepareil in adviiiice. would be of Lireat value to MiiKhsh soi- ineii. Ho roferri>d tliM (luestion to a eomiiilssion, .luliii Flaiustoad was known lo one of the coin- iiiisMi>iiers, and was c.i.>nsiilted on the subject. 'I'lio Kinn learned, from I'lamstead, n> i*- tiniable service to his com: try. As his c1i:)Hhj- iiieters had the accuracy called tor by the acfof Parliament wo before referred to, ho leceived from the English (rovernment in 17(17 £iU,iK)'.). li'j the British Ndidiad Ahiiiuiac lunar 1U3- tauoea of severiol of the best available stars and planets east and west of the moon, may be found toaisecond of arc. by simple inspection, lor every tin''d hour of (freenwich time, with a simple »iietUod of ostimatUjf» the ditt'ereu<;e tor any m- teiveninc; time. There is also given, for the same purpose, a list of moon culminating fitars. The lunar distances are complete from Hnusen's Jjuuar T'ibles of IK57 ; and are published m the almuuai; more than three years in advance. Tlie precisiou with which the position ofasiiipat sea can now bo determined was shown by the nicking up from tiie bottom of the ocean, of the liroRt!:! Atlanti ; oabie, no larger in seotiou than a !-■ 11 cent piece ; as all +ho buoyshad been washed 11 way, and nothing was loft to the navigator to '-(uide liiin in what looketl so hopeless a task but his nautical skill to find the exact bpot-^vhe'-e the break liad occurred. fiiinultuneoUHly wit)i tlie ad vnncemont of lunnr investigatioUH in this direction nnich progress was made ill the worI\ of scrutiiii/itig and mapping out the moon's surfaee \N ithoiit iiistruinental aid, only a faint indication of tin* more promJiKnt objects on the lilnoli'.- disk ciii be Keen, 111, ,1 one is not Hurpiised that sonie of the eiirU seleno- graphers lliought these wen- but lb" reliected sens and i-oiltiueiils of the eartl. 1 oilileo s ' por- spectivi. glass,' niai'.e b.\ him about ituci was the Orst known inediuiii tlir,>ii(j|i which ,inything more than ihis'\as sei'H. He published Ills ob- servii lions flu- next >eiir. TlitM|ilaint title of his book tells Its own storv, and is worth giviiiu in full ''riie Sidei'.il Mi'Hs-enger. Mini Miiicing (.'real, I lid wo"derful sp' •eludes, aiidotferii.g them to tlie eonsideriition of everyone, but especiiilh of philosopher- and strononiern, which beeftkhawj,^ observed by Ualileo tialilei, etc., etc., liy^tllio assistan»:e of 11 |ier.s|iettivf' glass, lately invi'iited by him. naiiiel>. in the face of tie) inoon, in in- nuiiierabie ll.ved stars. in the milky way, in nebu- lous stars, but especiiillv 111 f'Mir |laiicts whi< h revolve aro iiid ./ui'iter iil ,lit]'eieiil iiitir\iils an. I P'Tiods with a wr.iiderfiil celeritv, which hitherto no! kiMwn t'i anyone, the author his rei ciitly beep the first one to detect and bii.^ decreed to call llie ." .Medieeiin Stars." He constructd the ;lrst lunar map, mid 11 a rough w.iy calculated th(,' height of some of the lunar mountains, to v.liieh ills method ga\'e toogreiitii height. Jt i'* thought hisllrst telescope could not have magni- fied 111 me ilniii seven di.imeters, and it is sai,l to be beyond 'loul't he ne^■er used an iiistruniunt wiiii h niagnilicd nim-e than thirty diameters. The " Solenographia of .l.ilin Hevel, or Hevel- ius, appeared in l(vl7. It marked an era in lunar discovery, llevei was an extraordinarv man. lie iimde bis own in^.'trllnlents, eiiiiraveil his own mails and iirinteil his obsei vations with his own hands. His telescope magnifieil from tliirty to forty diaiiietors, and frc.ii tiie obsorvatifin.s lie made with it lie constructed a map, showing two hundred and ttfty lunar formatlous. For more than one hundred yinirs Hevel's map i«; maiuod tlio best map of the moon, riiy chief lunar foruiatioiis he named after the earthly formations to which he fancied they bore the closest resemblance. Six of his name.-! —the lunar ranges of the .\lps and Apponmnes, and tour pro- montories-are still retaiiu'd. He discovered the uiomi's librution in longitude. Telescopic observation, though with low- powers, soon made it p ain, from the same fea- tures being always apiiarent, that the moon ha'.i min. of lunar longitude, equal to about a forty-fifth of her circuinfeience. 'i'here is a similar change, though to a somewhat less extent, in iatitud". This apparent shifting to and fro of the center of the moon's disk is calletl her libratioii in latitude and longitude, liibration in longi'..udei'-ses from the time of the moon's axial rotation being always the same, V. Jile lior movement of translation in her ellip- tic orbit varies svith the ciiange of distance from the earth Thus, as the moon moves faster or Hlo\*fer in her orbit of tran,slation, her eauablo axial rotation brings to our view oast and ■west of her disk, portions of her sphere not seen when she is at her mean distance from the aarth. liibration in latitude is caused by the inclina- tion of the planes of the lunar eijnator and orbit to the plane of the orbit of the earth ; similarly the inclination of the axis of the earth causes the > SELENOGRAPHY. I \ .>•, \' terreBtinl poleH to bo turnod towards and fri)iii tho i'u>on. Anotlior rtlicht dilToreiir'o i'nlli>d f lio uiirnllaetic hbriitiiiii inlxi-H from tlu' luck of coiii' Iilcjuu* bu- tweeii tho Htiitioriof tlin nbscrvfr and tbo ctiiUr uf tbH iiiiiiiiiV mot loll 111 bi;M liu'iMoli, of Xolo^'im, imblinhpil a Innai limp, chit'Mv iiotii,'i'iiblc> from ith iiouii'iiiiliitiuf 111 bo'i o( Ifovi I's iiMiicH, ho di'hi»:rmt< il lh«' lorm- atiouH laicMowii on lii-i map attcru liht of iiwtroii- ciiifrs tiiid matii'iiiiiticiatiH A Krciu'l! iiHtrouo- in«'i Muys lie Hhrf*dlv uvoidfd the .ii-iilouHy of biH (•oiUi'ini'orarii'M by tiikinn oiilv tbo iiauiuH of pliib)Snpbt»i^ wti.i wort' diiiid. Mis Niircc««orr. in tbii. tW'ld of bitfor bavt- iimrKi'd bi-< I'lioicc of nnuD'H M'ltb iippiriviil. nHiiiorn tbiiu Iwo huitdrt'd of tbo.-n l.<* H» lortud lUO Htill foiiud Oil lllIiHl' iiuipH. l'"or till' t,rriit pbiiii-; H>'v«d had ralb'd ht'iiH and lakes, Im rotainnl Hrviil h iiaun'>. iiiid suj)ifiuc!itod them witli otlicTH in addition imiii - ativn oftlio huppo.-icd inlliioiii!!' of tiKfso piirth of thf moon on tho «lif>hi!rHr, iukI iiiiulo iui)iortaut addi- tioiiH to hiiiar knowb;d^!i-. About III- mid'.Uc of ibo.'it,'ltti.M,;!tli ci>iitiiry. Miiycr, to wlioMc Uiiiiir lal)l>'s I )ia\t abiMidy ri'- fcrii'd, r.iiiili< jTiMiarutions for prodm-in^ a more oompb'to lunar chart than had tln-n luucd'or(' Ins plaiiH wore carried out A - mall map. huwcvi'r, I'l^lit int'litw in di- am(>t(5r, wa* published in 177."i with mhiic of his posiiiiiiiioiis paporii, lUid this rem.iiiu^d till H'.'l till! most acijirato map (4 tlio moon lo \w had. I)urin«th<) hist r»!- dncessors, aiiil ii-;ed ma^'nifyiiit^ powers from one limidnM anil tilt\ to three hundred (bamcters. Jtersehel, whose si)leiidid iiK-eh.iiucal genius im- proved every iistroiiomicul instrumenthe toucheci, useil niK'roiiietrual measuremenl.s in deliiieatini,' the nuiou's surfrce, instead of tJUbtiun entirely to th '^kili .si stance. Hlnoter's KcKuMtoponraith- isebe I lat^mei'te {^ave views of piirts of the lunar surfaee with more details thiiu bad appeared in any iirerei'diiu,' l>ook. Jfe nuiiied iiiauy f(jrma- tions in the v nutbwest part of the ilisk. aiul sixtv of hi^• nameH lire yet retained. He first ad<'j>tuil tho nit tbod still in vo(,'ue of (bisitjiuitiiif^ th(> small spots in the vieinity (jf hiudi as are naim 1 by letters of the (irei^k and lioman aljilialmts In 1821. Ijobriiienn, of i>resden. proin.se I to is sue in twenty-live sectii.uis, a lunar map ;Uii inches to the neuin's diamoler Imt. his sif,'ht failiuf,' him. only fom- of tne sections w ere is-,ueil. As IinJirnuiiin was ii, prnfessioual surveyor, was assisted )>y the iistroiiome)- I'.nekt:. and jirovided with a tele.scojie made by Fraueiihofer, of Munich, whose instruments of this class liave never been .surjiassed, and but rarelv equaled ; it will bo readily understood liis work had rare merit and is still referred lo. \\\ 18:U.(i appeared the map of the moon, by Meer iini Macdlor, on a scale ot about three feet to tho inoou'.s diameter, and tlie next year thcv pub- lisiif^d their K^eat Work " .Vllf^enieine Verf,'lei- cbeude ,Selen'■^'rabie" to aceompnuy and exiilain their map. Their labors carried luuiir investiKa- tion fur beyond the most adviini'ed stages it bad attained tirrouKb the efforts of their jireduceasors. Their book for its eonipndiensive plan, anil their map from tlie efimplctenoss of its.topogi-aidiical deuiils, alike coiiinmnded a wide-spread and last- ing appreciation. Though higher artificial jjow- era than they used have Hince their time been ap- plied to tho working out of dotailM on parts of tho moon's disk, nuil Home of their opinions liave been rejected, tbeii work remains a standard ol rider- uuee. Till I ' mode of wtirkiiig bent nbows the value of w bill tbey did. To l\x llieir ninety two chief points toi further iiieiisiirements. they made nearU a tb>>usaiicl iiiicr.unef ric meiiHuremeiUH from these t) the limb of the momi. They also measuied on J imndred and fnrty-eiglil of the iii'ire important tt.rniiitioiis with the mierometei I'liev made a»iie tiuuisund .mil ninelyllvM measure- meiit-i of tilt HbadoWH thrown by ligiit liiiiidred and lliiily d ITeieiit lunar mountuiiiN, noiin^ all particiiliifs (if illumination. Finin the lengths uf these Hhailiiuri the hoights of ibc mountains wan thou eiirefuhy lomputed. and tho results nerved iw Hlandariis for approximatelv di'termining the iieiglit of minor jieaks when their shadows wen' pro^ecti'd u.i lir Hiniihu' ciiciimstunces of illumi- nation. Tb .>v mimed luie hundred and fifty tor- nmiioiiH hot oefuie mimed; but made no innova- tions on the auapteil systeiii ol lunar noun ne'a- tiire, e.\cept iliat incmrying out Scbroti'rs plan of (lesigntitiiig uiiiianied points by (Week and lioiiniii letters, tbej used tlio hailowK to 10- for the bri).;htest lijjhti. The ring plmii Aristturliiin, is ;,'iveii by them as tho lirigtitost on the moon. The Oii'iimiH I'm- CfUdruiii i.s thii largest gray plain . it coiif 'Jns an area of nearly two million sipiare miles, coxcriHiy a considerable pnrtion oi the lerih' astern iinc Boiithi^a.stern iiuadrant^Boward the south. 4iul«, and reipure favoraiile c^iTBisi.4UM;*»«-of'TTi>riition»ju^ j to bring tiieiii into view in proJlle. Maediei"'***! meiisiired one peal; in the T.eibnitz range at least ^^, ii7,l)iJ0 feet higli,aiid others in the bame riiu^;e are thought by Bchroter to have a height <'f nearly ;«>.(JO.Hociation in 1HIJ4 appointed a Moon Committee, of which, Mr. Hurt, an able man, was appointed Hccnitary. Tiioy jiroposed to iiiiip and catalogue all tlu^ formations of the lunar Hurf ace. Thoirlunar map will be lOO inches to the moon's diameter, and the preliminary out- line maps for it,s jirepariition, are on a scale of twico that -iize to admit of all details without crowding. TLo committee recommended the use of a telescope power of l.OOO fiiaineters for preparing the outline maii.s. and as nn increase in lattgnifyiny power is (>(|ual to a. decrease of distance, a view tbrimgii such a telescope would bo equivalent to looking at tlie moon ata ilis- tanco of about two iKindred and forty miles. Several sections of tins map are issued, but 1 ttiii not aware if it be yet cmnplete. Four yeiu-8 a^o Mr. F. Neisou, F. It A, K., gave to Fuglisb >'eaders a more complete treatise on tlie moon thftii was before' within their reach, His woik though based on that -of Hem and IMaedler, has riiich original merit Iti'ontains his own con.staut selenographical ob.servations during a i>eriod of eight years ; a long series of obs'jrvatiou.s placed at his disposal by the liev. Mr. \Vebb l)i'«ii itiiii(lii.rl ot n^fcr- lll'Mt ;ill(>\VS tJio Uifir iiujcly two llltMltH. till V 11111(1(1 ' llll'llHlll't'lllCIUS iHMiii. 'I'licy iilsi) ■ciulitof till' iiiuro iicroiiuitoi , riio> ty-llV" IIICHHIU'C-- V • itiilt llUtKllC'd luiiiN, iioiiii^ all nil til)! l(^iiKlliH uf '■ innlllltllillH WHH rosin ts Horvoii ili'tcriiiiiiitik' tho ir hliiultnvH ■wort' itiincoH «)f illmni- oil iitid til'tv tor- iiiiiIb no iiiMovii- liiiiar iiuiMi iir'ii.- Si'lirotcrs I'liiii Is l>y (irct'k iiinl ir<«.'k Ifttors for f <'iiH ] roMIc. •^Um\wx^**<^\ fz raii^'t' 111 li'iist^J^, hiiiiiu rii!ii;n mo MKlit of iiciuly m of I, OOf) draw- tor, winch ho 14 a))poiiit(4(l a Hurt, an al)lo Tiioy jiroiiosoil iiiuioiis of tlio ill ho 1(10 inehois roliiiuiiary ont- •(' on K scale laiiM Inclii'lc all ihc liir^'f dark trnntH callod by the early obi»<>rvers Mm: -i ; tho HniiiUor dark tractN, for which they used tho munc I'iiIum, 1.,'icuH or HimiH. and the bri^htor even tractn. to which no H|iocial name had bofore lH>en ap)>lioM. Til" crattM'n for convenience of ltncs and ilepreHHions. ]lo also somewhat ari'itrnrilv dividos tho moinitains into great rangos, litL'bbuids, moun- tain-^, i»'itks, bill-lands, platoans, liilU, mountain riduoH, iiUlocks, mounds, ridges, landsssellH. 'lothisu groupH arc added tho rills or ciofts, a class of formatn)ns Hrst seen bv Schi^f'tor. Homo of those run two and throe huiulred miles, auil have balUod obHorvors in iinikiiu: oWt thoir tiuo characlrr. Somo contend they are lissurch in the moon's crust, others think they look like river Iwds. Hclunidt, in IHtW, showed ho hail seen IW of these peculiar lines, and the m.vp of the Hritish a.ssooiation will likely show oih) tliousau I. Neison retains tiio same names Hccr and Maod- ler atlixud to the four hisiulredand twi'iitv-soven named format;onrt on their ma)t. To tficso he adds eighfy-sixc)therH, making in all ijvo hundred and thirteen lormations designated by njimeH on his map. I^ach f)ne is described in tho order of its location, and for convonicuice of reference an ■iljihabetical inile\ of lormations is also given at the end of tlid book. For every place named on the map thcro iHsivt'uin the tovt tho aic thority for tho mvme , degree of InigVitness of the I)lace : if a plain or crati^r, its dimension, and if a mountain, its height. The position iu lunar latitude and longitude of aluu)st every plaee ie given, in most cases to minutes, in iminy to soc- oods. .Ml the smaller unnamed hpots of inter- ests are described with the large named fornni- tioiis to ■which thoy are nearest, and observations respecting parts of special Interest aro given in detail, with name of the r)li8erver and the date of observation. Tables' and a number of formube are adk thoroughly lerviocable to tho student of lunar )dicnomona. .V8 an illustration of its merits, I njtiy add, tho book was translated into Gorman as soon as pub- lis led. Kxquisito drawings of special orators have been mad;' by ^fr. Nasniytb, of Patricroft, and flnf ]ihoto uaphs have been taken by Prof. Ituther- ford and Dr. Uonry Jlrapor, of New \'ork. It is to this soniov'hat long list of charts and drMwing- we are priiiinrily indebted for our pres- e»,t kno\\ ledgo of lunar topogi-aphy. After all ibis mapping and miDufce measuring ouo niiglit t.'nnk onr knowledge of the lunar sur- lace must bo nearly I'erfect, and that miniito chttHgos woidd be easy of detention. Such, however, is hi.rdly the case. It is true no iiu- poitant formation could disappear, ov materially change in appoarauco, without notice ; but it is by no means iikily any changes similar to ro oven cousiiforably in excess of such pybsical changes aR tho earth is iiuder.Toing would bo detected. Tho woiidorful chau^o in appearaiico an object may pi-osont under ditlVrenl ci.nditions of il- lumination was not so well understooil when high telescopic j)ow»ts were first apjvhed to lunar observation ns it is now. Tho result was, somo of the liest observers fell into gi-avc errors re- specting supposed cbiingr:, on the surface of the moon. One hundred years ago the elder Herschel with all his iiciiiiien and .trcnig cou'iiiion sense, thought tho moon was inhiiliited. And more re- cently still, Gruithuiseii, of Munich, sutTered a wild invagination to disl irt uiidpla- pranks with the real pictures his keen eyo had actually seen through liis splendid instrument. Un imagined bo saw trees, buildings ai d citipr it; the moon, and nmponcd to imitto a liook on Tho Hahltabnt- ty of t'le Moon, and Trin^es of it-^ being Inhabit- ed. All Nii howtiver, have hardly existed since tlie luborsof Iteer and ll.ier. The only case of lunar change whieli has boon at all HUhtumid b> admisnible evidence was that of the crati r Ijinne, brouxbt to public notice about twelve years ago by Schmidt, of Athens. What gave weight to tho I'rofesKor's worilH was the knowledge that be bad maiiu duriii',' twenty live years thousands of lunar draw iiigs and nieaHMreiuents, and las repeateil cmitentioii tlitit during the wboht period of his luiiiir Hiiidies. b« was eontldeiit no change on any impiu'tinl scale bail taken jdace on the surface of the moon Krom niicli an olmervcr the following letter to Mr Hurt could not fail to arrest attention : " I'oi some time past 1 tl'id that u lunar cratiM'. wbiih M.iedler nained Linne, situated in Ihc plain of tin: Mure Seren- itatis has btieii invisible, I have kimwu this crater since It- tl. and even at the full it has not been ditlUiiltto si'o. In Oitobej aiulNoveiii' lier,lH<;i), at its epoch ot iiiaMimiin visibility, this iletip cratiii, ■">•»> miles in diameter, had comjili tely disiipjieari'd, and in its plaee had appeared a little whitish lumiuijiis rloiid. H(> so good iii to muko observations in thi- locality." For the next two } ears liinne was elosely watched. At llist nothing but a nebulous spot lould bo seen Then Seliiiiidt saw a small «'li'Viitioii in its center and J'alhei Secclii at Home deteeted II minute cratcrlet Sinct> IstiHits ainieariince has been uui'liangiid There IS room here for but one of two eoiiclii- Hions. I'.ithi rail accounts of this cinter I'lior to IfM'iii were wrong, oi •In- rrater itself liii», undergone a ri'inaikable cliancc. Kither I'onelusion has its supimrters, tlioiiu;b tin majority iiielinetoa liiliel that the carlv observ U's of I.imie were wrong. That there should bo any ditferenci! (^ opinion respeetiiij.' the disapjieariiiico of aerator solnrge as liiune i remiirkable. Still it mu-e, to separate two bright obji cts, like a double star, tliat ari' half a second apart. .\s ou inost other subjects where thoro is inde- pendent thought, there i^, no doubt, n ditterenco of opinion amongst astronomers as to tin.' physi- cal change tho moon has undergone and is still undergoing. Nasmy th, the inventor of the steam hammer, who has been for years a close lunar observer, tliinks if wo except tlio contraction and expansion of the lunar cru.it from variations of temperature tlie moon now undergoes but little ch, tige ; and that she is devoid of water, atmos- phere and soil. On the other hand Noison con- tends, as it is yirobable the earth iind moon wore ])rimarily identical m substance, it is equally probable their changes have been analogous, ami are chiolly modified by the dilYeiouce in size of tho two bodies. That there must bo a groat variation of tem- perature on tho lunar surface, through its ex- posure for fourteen successive days to tho sun, and thiough its radiation of boat iiito space for a like time, admits of no doubt, but what Lho maximum and minimum of lunar temperture may be, there are but few data on which to base an opinion. The great reflector of F,arl Rosso witlfits six foot speculum, has booH brought into uso iti investigating the lunar tenijierature. Earl Rosso hiniBelf regards his investigations as but 8 SELENOGHAFin. fW^ tnntfttlvo iind approximate. Ho uitlmntnH Iha li<>iil riKhuUtil to t.tin earth from tlm full tiioon iH (III mil lo Hin heat which would ra4llut<) from II ^lohit of tho uioiiii'h hV/.v iiMil |io8itioii U It worn ki)|it at a oouMtiiiit totii)p) n- tiirii of mil' hiiiiilicil mill tun lUi^rHtm rciitlKrinlo. I'hiH it haH buoii ttitiiiiHtoil, would kIvo ii tiiiixi- iiiuni t«in|)«rittiirt* not cxctifliliuL; 5)()0 umi h iiiliiinitiin tt'ini'iriiturn nut itiudi Itolowzfio c«'U- tiHriuiK. 'I'll niii.K. i)\t»'iit thJH itMroos with Hir John ncrHchtilH i>i>lii'.iin nf tho iiio(iii'm <'liiiiiito: " All uiiinitiMHti 1 iiiid ItuiutUK HiiiiHliino, hmcitr thiiii III <>i|iiiitoniil lumti contiiiiiod for u wholo forltiiplit, mill tln' l<)lar wluters tor uu vouhI tiiuo " SiicliacUin.iti- lu-uohnloH the Hiiininhition that NviUitr y Noibon lm aKrooiiik'^vitb I'rot. An VH cmvful iiivostiKiitioiih of tint n'traetion tho luimr iitiMOHphon.' pro(Uu;oH. NiMHou iir^uoK at Miiiie lonf{th tbnt, aH what luiiHt have lioi^n porticDs of rlio aimohphere ami anouint noiiN of tho oiu'th aro now lockoil up in tho imtiieuHo iiiaH-'OH of our terroKtrial ntrata, a Hiiniliir proct'sij may havo k early jwrioil to liavo had. TliiH is n part of Ncisou's ^'iiinral tho*»ry : 'I'hai. tho forcon which have iiiailo both the eartli and moon what thoy arc, arc analoj.'ou'i iji uatiiro if not In de^roo. To uuy uuu who huH sueu through u tuloHUope the death llkr HtillnesH which ai>pnam'to irii^n over thene (piiot plainn and sporkllm^ uunintamn. thin tliHory ml>;ht at tlrnt niiflit N««tm fiil«io, but we imiHt rumiuubor our own buHy world at tho itumu dlMtauce would Heoiii ilh Htlll. Tluiro iiro fuw sii^htH irioro iuiprt^NHlvo than it teliiNcopIc view of tlio luonn undfr favorublo cir- uuiiiNtiiiic ;um in tho darkio sh, tho wholu [oriiia- tion urowiuH iiioro iliniijot. and Hoi.miiiK nuaror, tdl at l(ly moasuro imd nanii' oviu'v tiny uniy piit<'h and riuKod dot ho can spy mt on tlio iiiooiiV^ disk, or to jdoiiHo himsoff ^ritli jirotty picturoii of tho lunur sliad- oWs liidin; thi'iiisohos away at tho appr'iai^h of tho lifiiiiiiiiu sun. Ilo IS Hivuliiorablo to such shafts of satirmiH old Hum Hutlitr hiirlud iiKamst tho idli'dii iiiiiiU'H of Ills day, who oudKolod thuU' wits miui'i.. to know " Will thor tho moon bo sea ur land,' Or cimri'oal, or u i|iii'Ucliod tlrobraiid, Or II the dark holes thiit iijipcai'. Ho i^/ly jioros not citi'rh tliuro." All thono inaj)K ami nicasiirriiionts tiiidiill tliis si-rutiny iwo but si'iitVoldiiu; to tho luiildim,' ; moiin'^ to woi'tbiifr oikKs. How well thoHo onda liavo iifon iiiliicvod. the luoiist «)iincij at. tho history of ' mnr invcstiKiiLioncaniiut tail to show. And us thi,-; briiiu'li of ktiowli'it(.;o lias nioro tliuii met tho t'Viu'tions ol nil aijo whii-li docs not fail to I'ciiuirc iit we ai. tilt) Maine Hivo than a .vorubW' cir- it^ Iihh mmcu nioiuitiiiii- it v.Mi oser I Hto.ilthlly inino faintly holu [nrtiui- iiiUK iioaror, li»{ht luiuU) urav luuur pbunotiuMia iioanurl! ll'll! IllSIU'll ilijil, ii(.;aui«t iilt;