126 FROM NEBULA TO NEBULA 



on that very account cannot gain a footing. Herein 

 may also be found an explanation of the heretofore 

 unaccountable coldness of the moon's lifjht, for the snow 

 in chanfjinf/ its xlatc to liquid absorbs practically alt 

 I he xolar Jtcat radiated upon it, which heat, as the phys- 

 icists say, thereupon becomes "latent" and can neither 

 be perceived nor instrumentality detected. 



SUMMARY 



Summing up, then, my theory as to the moon's ro- 

 tation and surface-character is as follows: 



First. That the earth and moon are twin births 

 of one and the same solar or stellar disruption. 



Second. That from their very inception as inde- 

 pendent bodies they began to circulate around their 

 common center of gravity, while at the same time 

 revolving around the sun in obedience to the Prime 

 Resultant. 



Third. That both bodies were originally in a gas- 

 eous or molten state, from which state they instantly 

 began to cool. 



Fourth. That the moon, being all the while sub- 

 jected to the earth's attraction, precipitated its heavier 

 substances toward that body. 



Fifth. That as it disposed itself while still viscid, 

 so it remained after it became rigid; hence its one side 

 is permanently listed in our direction. 



Sixth. That before reaching this rigid state, a 

 crust was formed over the still warm surface, and the 

 moisture gradually condensed into the oceans that once 

 filled the now emptied basins. During this stage the 

 moon rotated on its axis by tidal action. 



Seventh. That when the original heat became ex- 

 hausted, the planet was thrown altogether upon its own 

 gnmstatic heat resources, which, on account of the 



