NATURE-STUDY LESSONS. 185 



LVII.-THE MOON. 



The moon is the nearest heavenly body to the earth. It is approximately 

 240,000 miles distant from it. It is a dark body and is visible by the light 

 of the sun which it reflects to the earth. It is a sphere like the earth, and 

 is about 2, 1 60 miles in diameter. 



1. Draw two parallel lines about an inch apart across 

 the full width of the open exercise-book. Mark the band 

 off with faintly-ruled vertical lines into 28 equal spaces. 

 Write "west" at the right-hand end of the band and 

 "east" at the left. 



The preferable time to begin observation is on the first evening the new 

 moon is visible, usually the third or fourth day of its age. 



2. The moon will be visible this evening in the west, 

 shortly after sunset. Go out and observe it. Note the 

 shape, relative width and length of the visible part and 

 the direction in which the horns — or cusps — point. Note 

 two or three bright stars in the neighborhood of the 

 moon. Go into the house and make a careful drawing 

 of what you observed — the curve and width of the cres- 

 cent and the relative position of the stars. Verify your 

 drawing by observing and comparing again and again if 

 necessary. After submitting your drawing to the teacher's 

 inspection, copy it in the right-hand space of the band 

 in your exercise-book, and over it place the date and 

 hour at which the observations were made. 



3. Repeat the observations every clear evening so long 

 as you can see the moon, and similarly enter each in the 

 band. Leave the space blank or in it write the cause on 

 each date when you did not make any observation. 



4. In some of the waning days of the moon it will 

 be visible in the morning. Make observations, draw 

 as above, and enter the date and hour in the proper 

 place. 



