The Moon 227 



North Star in our sky. To the inhabitants of the moon 

 the earth would be like a very large moon and would 

 show changes of form, depending on the direction of the 

 sun, just as the moon does to us. When seen in- the 

 opposite direction from the sun, it appears full ; and 

 when in the same part of the sky as the sun, it is like a 

 crescent. People on the moon would, however, see all 

 parts of the earth as it turns on its axis. The same 

 part would change appearance with changes of weather. 

 Our country would sometimes be almost covered with 

 clouds ; at other times it would be almost free from them. 

 When it is winter in the northern hemisphere, the exten- 

 sive mantle of snow would afford more light to the peo- 

 ple on the moon than they would get from the earth in 

 July. 



Questions for study and thought. When does winter 

 come in our southern hemisphere? If viewed from the 

 moon, would there be the same extent of snow-covered 

 surface then as when there is winter in the northern 

 hemisphere ? What parts of the earth would look green 

 at times? What parts would be green all the time? 

 When the moon looks red, is it near the horizon or high 

 up in the heavens? What makes it red? What do 

 you think about the probability of life on the moon? 

 Have you noticed the moon's position among the stars 

 on two successive nights? About how many degrees, 

 or what fraction of a circumference, does it move 

 among the stars in 24 hours? Does it move east or 

 west? Does it rise earlier or later each night than 

 the night before? How many minutes earlier or later? 

 Is the interval uniform? 



