A little ramble through 19th century astronomy - The Moon covered in salt an 1873 view

 Nature January 23^rd 1873

The Moon’s Surface

May not the white, telescopic appearance of the moon’s surface, resembling snow in many parts, be explained by the fact that the extinct volcanoes of our satellite are covered with crystals of salt?

Any person who is accustomed to view the moon through a telescope must, I think, have been struck by the dazzling snow white appearance of the mountains. May not an explanation of this be deduced from the experience gained by the last eruption of Vesuvius?

One of the most curious phenomena observed is the power of burning lava to retain an enormous quantity of water, and salt, which it does not allow to escape till it begins to cool.

The formation of salt is shown generally over the whole stretch of lava emitted in 1872. Soon after the surface cools it is covered with a light crust of salt.

Is it not, therefore, probable that the numerous lava beds of the extinct volcanoes in our satellite may be coated with salt, bleached to the whiteness of snow?

C H W Merlin

British Consulate, Athens, November 23^rd 1872

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