[10] “Million of Facts,” by Sir Richard Philips, p. 537.
SECTION 9.
CAUSE OF SOLAR AND LUNAR ECLIPSES.
An Eclipse of the Sun is caused simply by the Moon passing before it, or between it and the observer on the Earth. Of this no question has been raised. But that an Eclipse of the Moon arises from a shadow of the Earth is in every respect unsatisfactory. The Earth has been proved to have no motion, either upon axes or in an orbit round the Sun, and therefore it could never come between the Sun and the Moon. The Earth is proved to be a Plane, always underneath the Sun and Moon, and therefore to speak of its intercepting the light of the Sun and thus casting its own shadow upon the Moon, is to say that which is impossible. Besides this, cases are on record of the Sun and Eclipsed Moon being above the horizon together. “The full Moon has sometimes been seen above the horizon before the Sun was set. A remarkable instance of this kind was observed at Paris on the 19th of July, 1750, when the Moon appeared visibly Eclipsed while the Sun was distinctly to be seen above the horizon.”[11] “On the 20th of April, 1837, the Moon appeared to rise Eclipsed before the Sun had set. The same phenomenon was observed on the 20th of September, 1717.”[12] “In the lunar Eclipses of July 17, 1590; Nov. 3, 1648; June 16, 1666; and May 26, 1668, the Moon rose Eclipsed whilst the Sun was still apparently above the horizon. Those horizontal Eclipses were noticed as early as the time of Pliny.”[13] The Moon’s entire surface, or that portion presented to the Earth has also been distinctly seen during the whole time of a total Eclipse, a phenomenon utterly incompatible with the doctrine that the Earth’s shadow is the cause of it. “The Moon has sometimes shown during a total Eclispe with an almost unaccountable distinctness. On Dec. 22, 1703, the Moon, when totally immersed in the Earth’s shadow, was visible at Avignon by a ruddy light of such brilliancy that one might have imagined her body to be transparent, and to be enlightened from behind; and on March 19th, 1848, it is stated that so bright was the Moon’s surface during its total immersion, that many persons could not be persuaded that it was eclipsed. Mr. Forster, of Bruges, states, in an account of that eclipse, that the light and dark places on the moon’s surface could be almost as well made out as in an ordinary dull moonlight night.
[11] “Astronomy and Astronomical Instruments,” p. 105, by Geo. G. Carey.
[12] “McCulloch’s Geography,” p. 85.
[13] “Illustrated London Almanack for 1864,” the astronomical part in which is by James Glaisher, Esq., of the Greenwich Observatory.
“Sometimes, in a total lunar eclipse, the moon will appear quite obscure in some parts of its surface, and in other parts will exhibit a high degree of illumination. * * * To a certain extent I witnessed some of these phenomena during the merely partial eclipse of February 7th, 1860. * * * I prepared, during the afternoon of February 6th for witnessing the eclipse, without any distinct expectation of seeing much worthy of note. I knew, however, that upwards of eight-tenths of the disc would be covered, and I was anxious to observe with what degree of distinctness the eclipsed portion could be viewed, partly as an interesting fact, and partly with a view of verifying or discovering the weak points of an engraving (in which I am concerned) of a lunar eclipse.
“After seeing the increasing darkness of the penumbra softly merging into the true shadow at the commencement of the eclipse (about 1 o’clock a.m., Greenwich time) I proceeded with pencil and paper, dimly lighted by a distant lamp, to note by name the different lunar mountains and plains (the so-called seas) over which the shadow passed. * * * During the first hour and ten minutes I had seen nothing unexpected. * * * I had repeatedly written down my observations of the remarkable clearness with which the moon’s eclipsed outline could be seen, both with the naked eye, and with the telescope; at 1 hour 58 minutes, however, I suddenly noted the ruddy colour of a portion of the moon. I may as well give my notes in the original words, as copied next day in a more connected form:—1h. 58m., Greenwich time. I am suddenly struck by the fact that the whole of the western seas of the moon are showing through the shadow with singular sharpness, and that the whole region where they lie has assumed a decidedly reddish tinge, attaining its greatest brightness at a sort of temporary polar region, having ‘Endymion’ about the position of its imaginary pole. I particularly notice that the ‘Lake of Sleep’ has disappeared in this brightness, instead of standing out in a darker shade: and I notice that this so-called polar region is not parallel with the rim of the shadow, but rather west of it.—2h. 15m. Some clouds, though very thin and transparent, now intervene.—2h. 20m. The sky is now cleared, How extraordinary is the appearance of the Moon Reddish is not the word to express it; it is red—red hot! I endeavour to think of various red objects with which to compare it, and nothing seems so like as a red-hot penny—a red-hot penny with a little white-hot piece at its lower edge, standing out against a dark-blue back ground; only it is evidently not a mere disc, but beautifully rounded by shading.
“Such is its appearance with the naked eye: with the telescope its surface varies more in tint than with the naked eye, and is not of quite so bright a red as when thus viewed. The redness continues to be most perceptible at a distance from the shadow’s southern edge, and to be greatest about the region of ‘Endymion.’ The Hercynian mountains (north of Grimaldus) are, however, of rather a bright red, and Grimaldus shows well. Mare Crisium and the western seas are wonderfully distinct. Not a trace to be seen of Aristarchus or Plato.—2h. 27m. It is now nearly the middle of the eclipse. The red colour is very brilliant to the naked eye. * * * After this, I noticed a progressive change of tint in the Moon.—2h. 50m. The Moon does not seem to the naked eye of so bright a red as before; and again I am reminded by its tint of red-hot copper, or rather copper which has begun to cool. The whole of Grimaldi is now uncovered. Through the telescope I notice a decided grey shade at the lower part of the eclipsed portion, and the various small craters give it a stippled effect, like the old aqua-tint engravings. The upper part is reddish, but two graceful bluish curves, like horns, mark the form of the Hercynian mountains, and the bright region on the other limb of the Moon. These are visible also to the naked eye.
“At 3h. 5m. the redness had almost disappeared; a very few minutes afterwards, no trace of it remained, and ere long clouds came on. I watched the Moon, however, occasionally gaining a glimpse of its disc, till a quarter to four o’clock, when, for the last time on that occasion, I saw it faintly appearing through the clouds, nearly a full Moon again; and then I took leave of it, feeling amply repaid for my vigil by the beautiful spectacle which I had seen.”[14]