Therefore our adventurers, though at such a comparatively small
distance, could not make out the topographical details of the Moon with
any satisfaction by their unaided vision. The eye indeed could easily
enough catch the rugged outline of these vast depressions improperly
called "Seas," but it could do very little more. Its powers of
adjustability seemed to fail before the strange and bewildering scene.
The prominence of the mountains vanished, not only through the
foreshortening, but also in the dazzling radiation produced by the
direct reflection of the solar rays. After a short time therefore,
completely foiled by the blinding glare, the eye turned itself
unwillingly away, as if from a furnace of molten silver.
The spherical surface, however, had long since begun to reveal its
convexity. The Moon was gradually assuming the appearance of a gigantic
egg with the smaller end turned towards the Earth. In the earlier days
of her formation, while still in a state of mobility, she had been
probably a perfect sphere in shape, but, under the influence of
terrestrial gravity operating for uncounted ages, she was drawn at last
so much towards the centre of attraction as to resemble somewhat a
prolate spheriod.
Pages:
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180