5o 4 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



ology too was so long neglected, both in popular and liberal systems 

 of educations. But this has changed, and now even throughout the 

 public schools of this country the subject of meteorology has taken a 

 firm place. 



The moon was for a long time widely held, and deep in popular 

 belief, as the great weather breeder and prognosticator. But in recent 

 years the lunar idea of weather control has been largely discarded. 

 This belief could hardly be considered more than a mere superstition, 

 as it is impossible to see from an astronomical analysis how the varying 

 positions of the lunar cusps could in any way be connected with the 

 character of the weather. 



The moon's appearance to us depends on the relative position of 

 the moon and sun in regard to the observer's horizon. From new to 

 full, the moon gradually increases from a crescent to a full circle, and 

 back again from full to new. The positions of the crescent vary, as 

 the moon (shining by the light of the sun which she reflects to us) is 

 sometimes north of the sun's path and sometimes south of it. The 

 variation is probably noticed most in the new moon which is seen when 

 the sun is just below the horizon. A line joining the horns of a new 

 moon is sometimes nearly vertical, and oftentimes nearly horizontal. 

 These were supposed to foretell the weather, the first being called ' wet 

 moon ' and the second ' dry moon.' 



Even if the several lunar phases did influence our atmosphere, the 

 same phase should produce the same effect all around the world (as 

 the earth revolves on its axis in twenty-four hours) for any given lati- 

 tude circle. It is true that the ocean tides are for a large part the 

 result of the moon's attraction, but this force, when applied to the 

 earth's atmosphere, is wholly insufficient to produce any appreciable 

 disturbance in the atmosphere. It is most probable that the moon 

 belief grew up out of the naturally frequent coincidence between certain 

 weather changes (and certain brands of weather) and selected moon 

 phases. The moon enters a new phase, or quarter, every seventh day, 

 and the weather (at least in the middle latitudes) changes on the 

 average of one to two times in seven days; hence there must be a great 

 many accidental coincidences. And if one counts the agreements and 

 overlooks the disagreements, quite a theory could be announced. The 

 lunar phase theory was not found to bear the test of accurate compari- 

 son of weather observations with the lunar phases, except in this very 

 slight and imperfect manner, which is entirely insufficient to have any 

 value in weather prediction. Nevertheless, the moon and her changing 

 phases have been the basis of nearly all the weather forecasts found in 

 the almanacs. And the almanac has probably received more wide dis- 

 tribution, and been more greatly cherished by the people of all coun- 

 tries, than any other publication, next to the Bible. 



