January 2, igo8j 



NATURE 



195 



SELENOLOGY AXD GENERAL ASTRONOMY. 

 (i) The Moon in Modern Astronomy. By Ph. Fauth, 



translated by Joseph McCabe, with an introduction 



by J. E. Gore. Pp. i6o; illustrated. (London: A. 



Owen and Co., n.d.) Price los. net. 

 (i) Astronomical Essays, Historical and Descriptive. 



By J. Ellard Gore. Pp. yiii + 342; illustrated. 



(London : Chatto and Windus, 1907.) Price 6s. 

 ( ;,) Evolution of Planets. By Edwin G. Camp. Pp. 



166. (Bristol: T. Thatcher, College Green, 1907.) 



Price IS. net. 

 (l)' I 'HIS volume contains Mr. Fauth 's summary of 

 J- his twenty years' selenographic work, to- 

 gether with a discussion of the many problems which 

 face the selenographer of to-day. Mr. Gore's intro- 

 duction is purely descriptive of the general classifica- 

 tion of lunar features, of which he defines the general 

 terms, thus enabling the non-astronomical reader to 

 study Mr. Fauth 's work with some measure of under- 

 standing. 



The theme of the work is the substantiation of the 

 author's conclusion that our satellite is covered with 

 a thick layer of ice. Both the " meteoritic-bombard- 

 ment " and the " plutonic " theories of selenological 

 evolution are critically examined, and their fallacies 

 exposed. In the first chapter the author gives an in- 

 teresting historical survey of selenology from earlv 

 Grecian times to the present, paying special attention 

 to the various maps which have from time to time 

 been published. In this connection he rather depre- 

 cates the possibility of photographs, even of the ex- 

 cellence now attained, being as efficient as the eye 

 in delineating the fainter shades of difference to be 

 found in the lunar landscape. 



The second chapter discusses appearance and 

 reality, going into details as to what can really be 

 seen with certainty, and as to the best means to 

 employ for selenographical work. The essential 

 differences between terrestrial volcanic craters and 

 the so-called " craters " of the moon are emphasised 

 strongly, and this leads to the discussion of the 

 terminology generally adopted by selenologists. 



Under the headings "Light and Colour," "The 

 Ring Mountains," and "The Remaining Elevations 

 and the Rills " respectively, the next three chapters are 

 devoted to a critical examination of the various lunar 

 features, showing' how the results obtained by an 

 experienced observer are incompatible with the older 

 theories of lunar evolution. In the next, and conclud- 

 ing, chapter (vi) we are introduced to the theory 

 which, in Herr Fauth's opinion, best explains the 

 multitudinous appearances seen on the moon, viz., 

 " the moon is covered with a thick layer of ice." This 

 conclusion is riot a novel one, but it probably has 

 never been so ardently advocated as in the present 

 volume. Probably our sateUite obtained the thick 

 coating of solid H,0, around its globular nucleus, Dy 

 accretion from the intensely cold depths of outer 

 space; possibly minor meteoric bombardments occa- 

 sioned the breaches through which the sub-glacial, 

 warmer water was expressed and formed the " seas," 

 the " walled plains," &c., which now make up the 

 NO. 1992, VOL. 77] 



lunar surface. On this theory the author is able to 

 explain the large number of lunar objects which 

 twentv years of devoted study have revealed to him, 

 and he promises in a future work to establish it 

 further. In conclusion, he subjects to severe criticism 

 the records of recent changes in certain lunar form- 

 ations, and expresses his conviction " that no eye has 

 ever seen a physical change in the plastic features 

 of the moon's surface. 



(2) Nine of the twenty-four essays in this volume 

 have previously appeared in various astronomical 

 journals; the others are now published for the first 

 time. The range of subjects is extensive, including 

 such items as " Primitive Astronomy " and " Modern 

 Theories," "The Ringed Planet," and "The 

 Stellar Uiliverse," "The Names of the Stars," and 

 " The Size of Stellar Systems," &c. 



.-\s all those who are acquainted with Mr. Gore's 

 writings would expect, all the essays are very in- 

 teresting and instructive, but some will probably 

 attract more general attention than others. For ex- 

 ample, Mr. Gore gives a most interesting account of 

 Michell, a divine of the eighteenth century, who, 

 am.ongst other matters, discussed the probable parallax 

 and magnitude of the fixed stars in an original and 

 suggestive manner, extensively justified by more 

 recent researches, and who seems to have been lost 

 sight of in the blaze of glory which attended his imme- 

 diate successor. Sir William Herschel. The theories 

 and observations of the latter are also discussed in 

 the light of recent knowledge, in a style that cannot 

 fail to interest even the general reader. 



The essays on the light, the secular variation, the 

 number, and the brightness and density of the stars 

 are more of the general style, but, as treated by Mr. 

 Gore, are certain to attract and maintain the reader's 

 attention. 



"A Possible Celestial Catastrophe," involving an 

 illuminating discussion of the subject of dark bodies 

 in space, and "The New Cosmogony," in which the 

 " planetesimal hypothesis " is expounded, are typical 

 of the more speculative essays, and here again the 

 problems are clearly stated and judicially e.xamined. 



Generally speaking, Mr. Gore employs data which 

 have accrued from the most recent investigations, 

 and the value of the volume is enhanced by six repro- 

 ductions from actual photographs taken by Profs. 

 Barnard and Wolf, and the late Dr. Roberts. 



(3) It is difficult to see what useful purpose this 

 posthumous publication of Mr. Camp's notes will 

 serve. The author, in respect to accepted scientific 

 theories, was a confirmed iconoclast, and treated 

 dogma with scant ceremony. Vet we find the fol- 

 lowing on p. 35 :— 



" That the earth is a cool, hollow sphere may have 

 been inferred by many minds, but it has not yet been 

 taught as a matter of fact. Such, however, it is, 

 and such it can be proved to be." 



Similarly, all the planets, and the sun, are hollow 

 spheres, coal is not compressed vegetable matter, the 

 interior heat of the earth's crust is caused by the 

 friction between magnetic currents as they come in 



