In other words, it is only one side of the Moon's disc that
ever receives any light from the Earth. From nearly every portion of one
side of the Moon, the Earth is always as completely absent as the Sun is
from us at midnight. Suppose an analogous case existed on the Earth;
suppose, for instance, that neither in Europe, Asia or North America
was the Moon ever visible--that, in fact, it was to be seen only at our
antipodes. With what astonishment should we contemplate her for the
first time on our arrival in Australia or New Zealand!"
"Every man of us would pack off to Australia to see her!" cried Ardan.
"Yes," said M'Nicholl sententiously; "for a visit to the South Sea a
Turk would willingly forego Mecca; and a Bostonian would prefer Sidney
even to Paris."
"Well," resumed Barbican, "this interesting marvel is reserved for the
Selenite that inhabits the side of the Moon which is always turned away
from our globe."
"And which," added the Captain, "we should have had the unspeakable
satisfaction of contemplating if we had only arrived at the period when
the Sun and the Earth are not at the same side of the Moon--that is, 15
days sooner or later than now.
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