Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 May 1884 — THE MOON INHABITED. [ARTICLE]

THE MOON INHABITED.

Towns, Tillages, and Cultivated Fields Can Be Seen. At the astronomical observatory of Berlin a discovery has lately been made which, without donbt, will cause the greatest sensation not only among the adepts in soienoe bnt even among the most learned. Prof. Blendmonn, in that city, has found, beyond a doubt, that onr old friend the moon Is not a mere lantern, which kindly furnishes light for the loving yonth and gas companies of our planet, but the abode of living, intelligent beings, for which he is prepared to furnish proofs the most convincing. This question has agitated humanity from time immemorial, and has been the object of the greatest interest. But the opinions have always differed very widely, and no two minds held one and the same. Already in ancient times the belief prevailed that the moon was inhabited with some higher organized, intelligent beings, somewhat resembling man, and in order to communicate with them the earthly enthusiasts planted rows of trees, several miles in length, so as to form the figure of the Pythagorean theorem. The celebrated astronomer, Schroder, in the beginning of the present oentnry, fancied that he could detect places on the surface of the moon which periodically grew lighter and darker, and from this fact he derived the conclnsion that the phenomenon was a proof of existing vegetation. During the last few decades, however, the idea of life on the moon has been hpld np to ridicule, and totally scorned by men of learning. But, nevertheless, it has now been proved to be correct. By accident Dr. Blendmann found that the observations of the moon gave bnt very unsatisfactory results, owing to the intensity of the light power of the moon’s atmosphere, which is that strong that it affects the correctness of the observations in a very high degree. He then conceived the idea to make the objectglass of the refractor less sensitive to the rays of the light, and for that purpose he darkened it with the smoke of camphor. It took months of experimenting before he sncoe ded in finding his right degree of obscurity of the glass, and when finally found he then with the refractor took a very accurate photo of the moon’s surface. This he placed in a sun microscope, which gave the picture a diameter of 55$ feet The revelation was most startling. It perfectly overturned all hitherto entertained ideas of the moon’s surface. Those level plains which formerly were held to be oceans of water proved to be verdant fields, and what formerly was considered mountains turned out as deserts of sand and oceans of water. Towns and habitations of all kinds were plainly discernible, as well as signs of industry and traffic. The learned Professor’s study and observations of old Lana will be repeated every full moon when the sky is clear, and we venture to predict that toe time is not far off when we shall know more about the man in the moon than as being an agent in English politics.