登陆注册
4716400000012

第12章

They pointed out to them that the firmament, with its infinitude of stars, may be considered as one vast dial-plate, upon which the moon travels, indicating the true time to all the inhabitants of the earth; that it is during this movement that the Queen of Night exhibits her different phases; that the moon is _full_when she is in _opposition_ with the sun, that is when the three bodies are on the same straight line, the earth occupying the center; that she is _new_ when she is in _conjunction_ with the sun, that is, when she is between it and the earth; and, lastly that she is in her _first_ or _last_ quarter, when she makes with the sun and the earth an angle of which she herself occupies the apex.

Regarding the altitude which the moon attains above the horizon, the letter of the Cambridge Observatory had said all that was to be said in this respect. Every one knew that this altitude varies according to the latitude of the observer. But the only zones of the globe in which the moon passes the zenith, that is, the point directly over the head of the spectator, are of necessity comprised between the twenty-eighth parallels and the equator. Hence the importance of the advice to try the experiment upon some point of that part of the globe, in order that the projectile might be discharged perpendicularly, and so the soonest escape the action of gravitation. This was an essential condition to the success of the enterprise, and continued actively to engage the public attention.

Regarding the path described by the moon in her revolution round the earth, the Cambridge Observatory had demonstrated that this path is a re-entering curve, not a perfect circle, but an ellipse, of which the earth occupies one of the _foci_. It was also well understood that it is farthest removed from the earth during its _apogee_, and approaches most nearly to it at its _perigee_.

Such was then the extent of knowledge possessed by every American on the subject, and of which no one could decently profess ignorance. Still, while these principles were being rapidly disseminated many errors and illusory fears proved less easy to eradicate.

For instance, some worthy persons maintained that the moon was an ancient comet which, in describing its elongated orbit round the sun, happened to pass near the earth, and became confined within her circle of attraction. These drawing-room astronomers professed to explain the charred aspect of the moon-- a disaster which they attributed to the intensity of the solar heat; only, on being reminded that comets have an atmosphere, and that the moon has little or none, they were fairly at a loss for a reply.

Others again, belonging to the doubting class, expressed certain fears as to the position of the moon. They had heard it said that, according to observations made in the time of the Caliphs, her revolution had become accelerated in a certain degree.

Hence they concluded, logically enough, that an acceleration of motion ought to be accompanied by a corresponding diminution in the distance separating the two bodies; and that, supposing the double effect to be continued to infinity, the moon would end by one day falling into the earth. However, they became reassured as to the fate of future generations on being apprised that, according to the calculations of Laplace, this acceleration of motion is confined within very restricted limits, and that a proportional diminution of speed will be certain to succeed it.

So, then, the stability of the solar system would not be deranged in ages to come.

There remains but the third class, the superstitious.

These worthies were not content merely to rest in ignorance;they must know all about things which had no existence whatever, and as to the moon, they had long known all about her. One set regarded her disc as a polished mirror, by means of which people could see each other from different points of the earth and interchange their thoughts. Another set pretended that out of one thousand new moons that had been observed, nine hundred and fifty had been attended with remarkable disturbances, such as cataclysms, revolutions, earthquakes, the deluge, etc. Then they believed in some mysterious influence exercised by her over human destinies-- that every Selenite was attached to some inhabitant of the earth by a tie of sympathy; they maintained that the entire vital system is subject to her control, etc. But in time the majority renounced these vulgar errors, and espoused the true side of the question. As for the Yankees, they had no other ambition than to take possession of this new continent of the sky, and to plant upon the summit of its highest elevation the star-spangled banner of the United States of America.

同类推荐
  • 天王水鉴海和尚六会录

    天王水鉴海和尚六会录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Christian Science

    Christian Science

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Price She Paid

    The Price She Paid

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 慈悲地藏菩萨忏法

    慈悲地藏菩萨忏法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 古今译经图纪

    古今译经图纪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 开元释教录

    开元释教录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 魔君的宠后武则挪

    魔君的宠后武则挪

    她是武则大帝得宠的小女儿,可是活了100多岁,还只能在地上挪动他是六界令人闻风丧胆的魔君,却身染怪癖不能人事一千年中,他们第一次相见。他手握魔剑,她手提拨浪鼓,“哥哥,你好美。”结果她被他一掌挥出,掉了两颗门牙。三千年后,他们再次相逢。她惊艳了他的眼,“做我的皇后!”这次轮到她小手一挥,却没让他伏地不起。被拐十年后,他兽性大发要诛仙灭人只为换她回头。她剃仙骨入轮回只为不复遇见他轮回路长,做人为兽他统统照收不误。“女人,纵使你像毛毛虫挪动千年,也须在我身边。”“挪动作甚?魔君矫情了。”…
  • 冷酷校草霸上瘾

    冷酷校草霸上瘾

    在一个月黑风高的夜晚,陆珺瑶在回家的必经之路上救下了一个被黑社会混混打得半死的男生,意外的发现男生居然拥有逆天的颜值,可惜偏偏是个“哑巴”。缘分就在这一天将他们联系在一起,从此开始今后人生的互相羁绊,“陆珺瑶,你没经过我的同意就出现在我人生当中,所以......你要对我负责!”“怎么负责?”“用最快的时间喜欢上我,然后在我身边一辈子。小事随你怎么闹,大事往我身后靠。”“......”
  • 奸妃

    奸妃

    她是人们口中狐媚惑主的“奸妃”,她是后宫翻云覆雨的幕后推手,她被迫受宠却又主动下堂。一个样貌平凡的女子如何能让一位帝王念念不忘?她给了他一个局,一个到了也逃脱不开的局。静静走入这个局,不要带杂念,给诸君看一段故事.
  • 走向梦中的远方

    走向梦中的远方

    《走向梦中的远方》是一本与众不同的写物随笔,里面长长短短的句子里,既有张爱玲式的才情飞扬,又有李清照式的闲愁悠悠,文风孤绝清艳。
  • 在树林里(感动青少年的文学名家名作精选集)

    在树林里(感动青少年的文学名家名作精选集)

    文学作品是以语言为手段塑造形象来反映社会生活、表达作者思想感情的一种艺术,是人生的一面镜子。好的文学作品具有潜移默化的巨大作用,它能够开阔视野,增长知识,陶冶我们的情操。
  • 文说

    文说

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上古传人在都市

    上古传人在都市

    作为驱魔家族的传人,驱魔猎妖的故事。
  • 大约是爱(同名电视剧原著)

    大约是爱(同名电视剧原著)

    同名剧12月3日在腾讯视频开播,美好纯粹的爱恋,许你童话般的深情。爱是一场不期而遇,却满足你生命中所有的期许。单纯活泼的女大学生周是与英俊多金的云玛总裁卫卿,本是毫无交集的两人却意外地相遇。他为她着迷,而她避之不及。开始时是逢场作戏,可渐渐地,他们谁也无法控制爱情的枝桠在心底蔓生。而在此时,一个少年的介入,却让他们之间再生波澜……
  • 福尔赛世家(上)(诺贝尔文学奖文集)

    福尔赛世家(上)(诺贝尔文学奖文集)

    全新的译文,真实的获奖内幕,细致生动的作家及作品介绍,既展现了作家的创作轨迹、作品的风格特色,也揭示了文学的内在规律。题材广泛、手法各异,令人在尽情享受艺术魅力的同时,更令人在各种不同的思想境界中获得不同程度的启迪,从而领会人生的真谛。这些路数迥异的作家,虽语种不同、观念不同、背景不同,但他们那高擎思想主义旗帜的雄姿是相同的,他们那奋勇求索的自由精神是相同的。而他们的雄姿,无不闪现于他们的作品之中;他们的精神,无不渗透于这些作品的字里行间。这套丛书所承载的,正是他们那令万世崇敬的全部精华。