20 
The phases of the Moon were shown by diagrams first, but 
afterwards by the use of a large white ball, which was illuminated 
by a stage lime-light, so as to enable those present to grasp 
thoroughly the causes that led up to the quarter Moon, full Moon 
and the waning Moon. 
The absence of air on the surface of the Moon, the force of 
gravity on the Moon—6lbs. on the Earth only weighing 1b. on 
the Moon—how the Moon was weighed and the terrific heat and 
the terrific cold experienced by the surface were all liberally 
touched upon, and the consequences of such fully discussed. 
The rate our luminary travelled in space, viz, three 
thousand feet a second, and its continued falling towards the 
earth of about a twentieth of an inch in the same unit of time, 
were then spoken about, and the reason afforded why, though it 
kept falling at this rate, still it never came upon us from above: 
an apparent paradox, though one capable of very easy expla- 
nation to those who gave a few minutes’ attention to the subject. 
The structure of the surface and the superficial appearances 
of the Moon were then spoken about, and a series of photographs 
exhibited, some of which were taken by telescopes of quite 
recent manufacture, which showed what an improvement had 
been effected in modern times in comparison with the very first 
photograph ever taken of our luminary, which the lecturer was 
able to show them on the screen. Numerous details of mountain 
structure were also illustrated by the lantern, a large collection 
of slides being employed, and, what made the matter of great 
interest, the actual number of miles across was supplied in 
several instances, one in particular being exactly that of London 
to Brighton. How these mountains were supposed to have been 
formed in early days was not the least interesting part of the 
lecture, for it brought home to the audience what gigantically 
great eruptions must have taken place in those prehistoric times. 
After mentioning the part played by the Moon in Eclipses, 
and the explaining of the difference between an eclipse of the 
Sun and the Moon, the lecturer concluded by showing a 
mechanical slide invented by Professor Shackleton, which pro- 
vided his audience with the representation of a real eclipse of 
the Sun, which he said he was able to do at much less expense 
than going to remote parts of the’ Earth to witness, and with 
far less fatigue. 
