A Great Man of Astronomy: An Appraisal of the Works of Sir Patrick Moore

By Francis Andrew

Is this a book that you would read from cover to cover? The simple answer is no! It is a book that the reader would dip into every now and again to get the flavour of one of Sir Patrick's works. There is an appraisal of each of Sir Patrick's works contained within it. This book constitutes the first of two, or perhaps three volumes of appraisals of Sir Patrick's books. Why have I found it necessary to spread out his works across two or three volumes? For two reasons basically: firstly, Sir Patrick wrote around 200 books throughout his long life; secondly is the issue of book availability; all of Sir Patrick's books are now out of print, and, the earlier ones mostly, are only sporadically available from antiquarian booksellers. It is a great honour for me to have this first volume ready for publication for the centenary year of Sir Patrick's birth in 2023.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Jan 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9781698713977

Francis Andrew

I have undertaken to write up appraisals on Sir Patrick Moore's works. It was mainly due to him and to his television programme, 'The Sky at Night' that my interest in astronomy was enkindled. Like Sir Patrick, I am also an amateur when it comes to astronomy, but in Sir Patrick's case, his claiming to be such was an exercise in his usual modesty, whereas I really and truly am an amateur. Nevertheless, astronomy has always interested me. The childhood fascination I gained for the subject has never left me, and listening to that enthusiasm with which 'Mr. Astronomy' himself spoke upon the subject all throughout his life, ensured that the fires of my own enthusiasm never died out.

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Copyright 2023 Francis Andrew.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

Mr. Martin Mobberley, the biographer and friend of the late Sir Patrick Moore, is the photographer who kindly provided the frontispiece image for this book.

ISBN: 978-1-6987-1396-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6987-1395-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6987-1397-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023901044

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CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

Section I: By Mrs. Gertrude Moore

Mrs. Moore in Space, Gertrude L. Moore

Section II: The Moon

I:A Survey of the Moon, Patrick Moore

II:Exploring the Moon, Patrick Moore

III:Guide to the Moon, Patrick Moore

IV:The Craters of the Moon, Patrick Moore

V:Exploring the Earth and Moon, Patrick Moore

VI:The Moon, Patrick Moore

VII:Moon Flight Atlas, Patrick Moore

VIII:The Moon, Dr. H. Percy Wilkins and Patrick Moore

Section III: Biographical/Autobiographical

I:Not Out: The Autobiography, Patrick Moore

II:It Came from Outer Space Wearing an RAF Blazer!: A Fan’s Biography of Sir Patrick Moore, Martin Mobberley

III:Return to the Far Side of Planet Moore!: Rambling through Observations, Friendships and Antics of Sir Patrick Moore, Martin Mobberley.

IV:The Caldwell Objects and How to Observe Them, Martin Mobberley

Section IV: Edited Works

I:2001 Yearbook of Astronomy. Editor: Sir Patrick Moore

II:1962 Yearbook of Astronomy. Editor: J. G. Porter. Associate editor: Patrick Moore

III:1963 Yearbook of Astronomy. Editor: J. G. Porter. Associate editor: Patrick Moore

IV:1964 Yearbook of Astronomy. Editor: J. G. Porter. Associate editor: Patrick Moore

V:1965 Yearbook of Astronomy. Editor: Patrick Moore

VI:1966 Yearbook of Astronomy. Editor: Patrick Moore

VII:1967 Yearbook of Astronomy. Editor: Patrick Moore

VIII:1968 Yearbook of Astronomy. Editor: Patrick Moore

IX:1969 Yearbook of Astronomy. Editor: Patrick Moore

X:1970 Yearbook of Astronomy. Editor: Patrick Moore

XI:1972 Yearbook of Astronomy. Editor: Patrick Moore

Section V: Science Fiction

I:Captives of the Moon, Patrick Moore

II:Caverns of the Moon, Patrick Moore

III:Peril on Mars, Patrick Moore

IV:Crater of Fear, Patrick Moore

V:The Domes of Mars, Patrick Moore

VI:Mission to Mars, Patrick Moore

VII:The Voices of Mars, Patrick Moore

VIII:Raiders of Mars, Patrick Moore

IX:Spy in Space, Patrick Moore

X:The Island of Fear, Patrick Moore

XI:Planet of Fear, Patrick Moore

XII:Wheel in Space, Patrick Moore

Section VI: Translated Works

The Planet Mars, Gerard de Vaucouleurs. Translated by Patrick Moore

Section VII: Humorous

I:Bureaucrats: How to Annoy Them, Patrick Moore (pseudonym R. T. Fishall)

II:The Twitmarsh Files, Patrick Moore (pseudonym R. T. Fishall)

III:Miaow! Cats Really Are Nicer than People, Sir Patrick Moore

IV:Can You Speak Venusian?, Patrick Moore

Section VIII: Spoof

Flying Saucer from Mars, Cedric Allingham

Section IX: Astronomy General

I:Space in the Sixties, Patrick Moore

II:The Boys’ Book of Space, Patrick Moore

III:Suns, Myths, and Men, Patrick Moore

IV:The Astronomy of Birr Castle, Patrick Moore

V:The Star of Bethlehem, Patrick Moore

VI:The Planet Venus, Patrick Moore

VII:Guide to the Planets, Patrick Moore

VIII:Patrick Moore’s Data Book of Astronomy, Patrick Moore and Robin Rees

IX:Astronomy, Patrick Moore

X:Out of the Darkness: The Planet Pluto, Clyde W. Tombaugh and Patrick Moore

XI:The Amateur Astronomer, Patrick Moore

XII:The Observer’s Year: 366 Nights of the Universe, Sir Patrick Moore

XIII:Guide to Mars, Patrick Moore

XIV:Earth Satellite, Patrick Moore

XV:Making and Using a Telescope: The Home Assembly and Applications of Astronomical Equipment, H. Percy Wilkins and Patrick Moore

Section X: Various

I:Countdown! or, How Nigh Is the End?, Patrick Moore

II:The True Book about Earthquakes and Volcanoes, Patrick Moore

Appendix

PREFACE

T o celebrate the centenary birth year of British astronomer Sir Patrick Moore, Francis Andrew has undertaken the monumental task of writing appraisals on some of the works of Sir Patrick Moore, which appear as volume 1 of A Great Man of Astronomy . I say some of the works because this is indeed a monumental task as Moore was indeed a prolific writer. To do justice to Sir Patrick Moore’s books in the form of appraisals for each, two or maybe three volumes of similar length would be necessary. This first volume indeed shows the gravity of the task.

The volume is divided into ten sections and an appendix. Section 1 is entitled Mrs. Gertrude Moore. It may seem a little odd that the first section is devoted to someone other than Patrick Moore and to someone who wrote only one book in her entire long life, but it reflects Moore’s great devotion to his mother. Mrs. Moore in Space is about imaginary creatures who inhabit the planets of our solar system. Well illustrated, this book brings out the artistic abilities of Mrs. Moore as she vividly depicts these weird and wonderful beings in a splash of colors.

Section 2, The Moon, appraises eight books on Earth’s closest neighbor. Although Sir Patrick Moore observed many celestial objects, he will always be known as a lunar observer.

Section 3, Biographical/Autobiographical, contains one autobiography and three biographies of Sir Patrick Moore. The biographies are the works of Martin Mobberley, a close friend of Sir Patrick Moore.

In section 4, Edited Works, some of the Yearbook of Astronomy are reviewed. They start at 1962 and go on to 1964, when Dr. J. G. Porter was editor and Patrick Moore was subeditor. Andrew has gotten as far as 1972 with his appraisals, and Moore was full editor from 1964 onward.

Section 5 deals with Moore’s science fiction writings. Moore’s extensive talents spilled over into the realm of science fiction. Twelve of Moore’s science fiction books are appraised by Andrew.

Section 6 is entitled Translated Works. However, Moore translated only one work, The Planet Mars, by Gerard de Vaucouleurs. Moore was competent in French; therefore, he was well qualified to translate this work.

Humerous is the title of section 7. The four books appraised by Andrew reveal Moore’s sense of humor.

In section 8, entitled Spoof, only one book, Flying Saucers from Mars, which went under the authorship of a certain Cedric Allingham, is appraised. Martin Mobberley is sure that the real author is Patrick Moore and provides very convincing evidence that it is, though Moore always vehemently denied authorship.

Section 9, Astronomy General, appraises fifteen of Moore’s works on the subject that was closest to his heart and for which he is well-known.

Section 10, Various, reviews two of Moore’s books that are on nonastronomical subjects.

The appendix contains the transcript of a presentation on the subject of transient lunar phenomena (TLP) given by Francis A. Andrew to the Center for Space Research and the Jordanian Astronomical Society on October 21 and 22, respectively, in 2019.

Admittedly, A Great Man of Astronomy is not bedtime reading; but for those whose interest in astronomy was influenced by Sir Patrick Moore, this book, published in the birth anniversary year of Sir Patrick Moore, is a wonderful keepsake as a tribute to the grand old man of astronomy.

Jay Lakhani, Epsom, Great Britain

INTRODUCTION

W hy have I undertaken this work to write an appraisal of the books of the late Sir Patrick Moore? First of all, Sir Patrick Moore was no obscure figure; even if one had no interest in astronomy, Patrick Moore was known as the man who represented astronomy in Great Britain—he was Mr. Astronomy himself. Such was the widespread popularity of this man that it would stick in your head if you ever came across anyone who actually had never heard of him. This was the case with me when I was about twelve or thirteen years of age. A relation of ours was visiting us, and we got on to the subject of astronomy—and, of course, Patrick Moore. My relative, looking somewhat bewildered, owned that he had never heard of the man. I then expressed my surprise and astonishment at this revelation. My father then turned to our relative and said in the broad northeast of Scotland Doric accent, Oh, it’s a crime if ye dinna ken Patrick Moore.

The second reason is my debt of gratitude to Sir Patrick. His television series, The Sky at Night, enkindled my interest in astronomy. Had it not been for Patrick Moore and The Sky at Night, I am not sure if I would have pursued astronomy as a hobby. The Sky at Night went for fifty-five years on the BBC with the same presenter. Since Sir Patrick Moore’s death, the program has been ably presented by Prof. Chris Lintott with a team of astronomers. I pride myself as having been born in same year as The Sky at Night went on the airwaves. It is two months older than I am; it made its debut in April 1957.

So, what of this work? It is by no means exhaustive and represents only a small selection of the tremendous literary output of Sir Patrick. The rest of the great man’s works will be dealt with in future volumes.

How many books did Sir Patrick Moore write? No one knows. In fact, even Sir Patrick was unsure! Included in this volume (and future ones) are books that he edited—namely, the Yearbook of Astronomy, which he contributed to as one of a number of authors, and translated works.

How should this volume be read? Obviously, it is not meant to be read from cover to cover. Rather, it is to be dipped into whenever one may desire to get an overall impression of one of Sir Patrick’s books; this may be done before reading one of his books itself. Or one may skim one of the sections to obtain an idea of a particular genre in which he wrote. However the readers wish to approach this volume, I hope it will induce him to search out Sir Patrick Moore’s works and allow him to get to know the man and his writings better.

SECTION I

BY MRS. GERTRUDE MOORE

MRS. MOORE IN SPACE,

GERTRUDE L. MOORE

T hat there may be life extant other than on Earth somewhere in our universe is a notion that has intrigued scientists and laypeople alike ever since the Copernican Revolution ushered in the realization that the Earth is not at the center of the cosmos. The revolution initiated by Nicolaus Copernicus (1473–1543) has been an ongoing one in that the endeavors of astronomers over the centuries have presented the scientific community with a universe that is becoming increasingly larger—not just in terms of its rate of expansion but also by its sheer extent and complexity. When the concurrent advances constantly being made at both the micro and macro levels in the fields of biology, chemistry, and physics are allied to the vastness of the cosmological model, there can only be resultant a progressive erosion of the belief that life is confined solely to the little blue dot we call Earth. It is this great cosmological drama being played out with the aid of increasingly sophisticated astronomical equipment, both terrestrial and extraterrestrial, that must surely provide the framework within which we must approach Gertrude L. Moore’s book Mrs. Moore in Space .

First published in 1974 by Cassell and Company Ltd., this book contains nearly fifty pages of exciting and imaginative artwork from an author who married her artistic talent to her interest in astronomy. Since in the foreword to this book (p. 5), Sir Patrick Moore, son of the author, states that the creatures depicted by his mother in artwork extending from 1900 to 1974 may not be either scientifically or anatomically correct, we do therefore have to ask the somewhat penetrating question as to what is and is not anatomically correct in the light of advances made in the biological and astrobiological spheres since the book’s first publication. Flora and fauna have been found to adapt to environments once thought completely inhospitable to life: from the weird plants and bizarre creatures that inhabit the depths of the oceans; strains of bacteria that survive extremes of heat and cold and others that thrive on radioactive waste from atomic power plants; holoparasitic plants, which totally rely on their hosts for all energy and nutrients but do not require sunlight and are often without any chlorophyll; to the Rhizanthella gardneri, an underground orchid that grows completely underground apart from the flower, which partly emerges above ground—when taken together, all render Mrs. Moore’s incredible creatures quite credible.

It was this amazing ability of life forms to adapt to environmental extremes that gave added impetus to the theories of Sir Fred Hoyle and N. Chandra Wickramasinghe, which were published in the book Diseases from Space (first published in 1979 by J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd.) five years after Mrs. Moore’s book first came out. The discovery of complex organic molecules in space, spectroscopic analysis of interstellar gas clouds, which give readings that indicate the presence of desiccated bacteria, and the discovery of bacterial spores in the stratosphere—and even as high up as the mesosphere (see Our Place in the Cosmos by Hoyle and Wickramasinghe, published by Phoenix, 1993) all increasingly point to life throughout the universe and evolution occurring on a cosmological scale.

Mrs. Gertrude L. Moore captures the principle of adaptability well in the captions in which she explains the nature of the creatures she has painted. On page 17, for example, the author writes of birds with short stumpy wings, being able to achieve aerodynamic lift owing to the thick atmosphere of Venus. Her lunar creatures presented in winter wonderland backdrops from pages 11 to 13 may not be too far off the mark considering that around 2009/2010 NASA discovered ice deposits in areas of craters that are permanently devoid of sunlight. Who can say that there are no dormant colonies of bacteria trapped in these ice deposits? Under selective evolutionary pressure, the creatures on Mars (p. 25) have developed larger than normal eyes to help them see better in a dimmer sunlight, and the creatures of Uranus dance to the tunes played on pipes as a way of keeping warm in this cold region of the solar system (p. 30).

After a tour of the solar system, Mrs. Moore takes us on a journey to extrasolar planets, which themselves have life forms adapted to their own specific conditions. In this vast universe of ours, especially one that corresponds to the steady state model, who knows what evolution is going to throw at us in the way of weird and wonderful life forms? In such a universe, with neither beginning nor end, who can be so bold as to dare say that the life forms presented to us in the artistic endeavors of Mrs. Gertrude L. Moore never have existed, do not exist, and never will be products of the evolutionary process that is prevalent throughout the cosmos? Surely that would be a greater worthiness to the term science fiction, and thus incredulity, than the assertion that such creatures do exist, or have existed, or will exist.

SECTION II

THE MOON

I

A SURVEY OF THE MOON, PATRICK MOORE

F irst published in 1963 by Eyre and Spottiswoode (Publishers) Ltd., Survey of the Moon by Sir Patrick Moore is a 333-page book that covers almost every aspect of lunar observation. Embedded between the book’s covers are sixteen plates of photographs and drawings of parts of the lunar surface, which provide illustrative substance to the lucid explanations given by Moore in the text.

In chapter 1, the author examines the Moon in terms of how our distant ancestors perceived it and furnishes the reader with some entertaining examples of the lunar mythology concocted by various races of people from the distant past. In chapter 2, Moore deviates slightly from the Earth/Moon relationship so as to put our natural satellite within a wider solar system context. In chapter 3, we return to the Moon and consider the various theories concerning its origins. While the birth of the Moon remains an unsettled though fascinating scientific argument, perhaps the most intriguing notion put forward by the author in this section of his book is that of the Earth/Moon system being of a double planet rather than as one of a planet/satellite relationship. It may be within the context of the double planet model that the answer concerning the Moon’s origin lies hidden. The author explains the movements of the Moon in his fourth chapter and thus why we see the Moon in its different phases during a lunar month. Phenomena such as eclipses of the Moon and the sun are explained in this chapter. For those new to lunar studies, it may come as a surprise to learn from this part of Moore’s work that the Moon does actually rotate on its axis—that only one face is ever on view from the Earth is resultant from the Moon’s rotation being tidally locked to our planet. In chapter 5, the author focuses on the gravitational effects the Earth and the Moon have upon each other, the most obvious one being that of the terrestrial tides. The seemingly most noteworthy information in this chapter concerns the issue of Moon rocks: for most people, the study of samples of lunar material did not begin until the astronauts from the six manned moon landings (1969–1972) brought geological material back to Earth from the Moon. However, Sir Patrick Moore introduces us to tektites, small, dark, glassy-looking objects, (p. 47), which are theorized to have been ejected from lunar volcanoes and subsequently made their way to the Earth.

The examination of tektites lends itself to being the transitional subject taking us onto the other chapters of the book that deal with the Moon in its geological and topographical aspects. Chapter 6 deals with the history of lunar observation since Galileo’s invention of the telescope revealed a world of rocky mountains, plains, hillocks, ridges, and valleys (p. 51), while the following chapter goes on to focus on the lunar surface features in more detail. It is the most well-known features of the Moon that chapter 8 concentrates upon—the craters; it looks at their size, type, and distribution across the lunar surface. The next chapter deals with the origin of the lunar features, homing in on the mystery of the origins of the craters, the inexplicable rays that stream out from those such as Tycho, Copernicus, and Kepler.

Chapter 10 of this work deals with the nature of the surface of the Moon. After considering the surface temperature of the Moon, the colors of various features, and the depth and size of the particles coating the surface, Moore mentions the amazing prospect of there being water on the Moon. While dismissing the more outlandish theories of ice sheets and snow-covered domes, Moore does state, we have to be a little more cautious before saying baldly that the Moon is utterly without water in any from (p. 122). In this context, it is interesting to note that lunar studies performed in the early part of the twenty-first century do tend to indicate that water may persist on the lunar surface in areas permanently shaded from the sun.

Chapter 11 concentrates on what was then the debate as to whether the Moon possessed an atmosphere. Since the book’s publication, it has been found that the Moon does indeed possess an atmosphere, albeit a very thin one. The following chapter considers not only changes upon the lunar surface in terms of actual geological activity but also more rather on the interpretations of observers using different types of telescope and operating under different viewing conditions. The next chapter looks at how lunar eclipses can aid the selenographer in examining the changes in surface features because of the loss of heat from the lunar surface during such an eclipse—lunar surface material being unable to retain much heat.

We could say that chapter 14 leads us on to what we might call the third section of the book in that it deals with the more futuristic aspects of lunar exploration. While this chapter (which looks at the methods involved for travel to the Moon), is now dated, it nevertheless provides a historical perspective of the development of the rocketry that would take man to the Moon in the coming years from the book’s publication.

At the time the book was written, the other side of the Moon (the 41 percent we cannot see) was just beginning to give up its secrets. Moore, in chapter 15, describes the observations made by the Soviet Lunik spacecraft, which sent back pictures after passing round the hidden face of the Moon.

While the author rightly dismisses the idea of any kind of sophisticated life on the Moon (chapter 16), more recent work in the field of astrobiology by Sir Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramasinghe does offer the possibility of life at the microbial level on the lunar surface. In the final chapter (17), Moore looks forward to the future and describes the sort of experiments that could be carried out by manned missions to the Moon. Although this chapter may be somewhat dated now, it should be borne in mind that what we still need to learn about our nearest astronomical neighbor will require more manned missions to explore the lunar surface.

The book contains five appendixes, which look more closely at the technical aspects of selenography. Appendix 1 deals with how the amateur astronomer has a great deal to contribute in the way of lunar observation. Appendix 2 examines lunar literature and lunar maps, while appendix 3 provides a list of lunar numerical data. Appendix 4 gives a list of lunar eclipses from 1963 to 1987. The sixteen sections of appendix 5 provide the reader with a long detailed description of the lunar surface in terms of a close examination of the four quadrants of the moon. There then follows a five-page index in alphabetical form listing the formations described in the map. Then there is a description and map of the reverse side of the Moon followed by a list of the Latin and English names of the lunar seas. Finally, there is an index of the astronomical terminology used throughout the book.

Does the book have any relevance in 2017 (the time of writing this review)? This work gives the student an excellent overview of lunar studies. Only a small portion of the book, which refers to manned missions as a future occurrence, is now out of date, but the rest of the book will remain relevant for quite some time to come.

II

EXPLORING THE MOON, PATRICK MOORE

P ublished in 1964 by Latimer, Trend and Co. Ltd., Exploring the Moon by Sir Patrick Moore is a ninety-six-page book of eleven chapters and an index, which is as wonderfully informative as it is easy to read. All the chapters are replete with illustrative drawings, which lucidly demonstrate the core topic being dealt with in the particular chapter, and in some instances the author explains how, using inexpensive common household items, to conduct simple yet effective experiments to demonstrate the various aspects of lunar motion, phases, and surface features.

In the first chapter, entitled The Man in the Moon, Moore informs readers that it is essentially the distribution of the dark maria (seas) across the part of the lunar surface permanently turned toward the Earth that contrives to make discernible the face so familiar to naked-eye observers of the Moon. Later in the chapter when Moore explains the principles by which telescopes work, he goes on to say that when the Moon is viewed through either a telescope or a pair of binoculars, the face of the man in the moon disappears and gives way to a world of geological features in bewildering variety. In the same chapter, the author makes clear how the Moon is quite different from the sun, the planets, and the stars. Experiments described in this chapter involve a torch to represent the sun and a tennis ball the moon; the ball held in front of the torch shows how only one side of the Moon can be lit up at any one time. To demonstrate the distance from the Earth to the Moon, a piece of string is wrapped ten times around a tennis ball; the string is then stretched out to meet a table tennis ball at its other end—this represents a kind of scale model of the distance between the Earth and the Moon. (NB: In the remainder of this review, the reviewer will only mention the materials required to conduct the experiment and not the mechanisms of the experiments themselves as these can be learned from a perusal of the book itself. The above two have been given as examples to indicate the ease and financial economy of what are needed in the execution of the experiments.)

The author tries to come to grips with the vexed question of how the Moon came to be. Chapter 2 (How the Moon Was Born) looks at a number of theories that have attempted to explain the genesis of the Moon but do not withstand the rigors of mathematics. The remainder of the chapter is given to an explanation of how the Moon controls the tides, a phenomenon those who live along the coast see from day to day. A tennis ball and a table tennis ball glued respectively to each end of a stick is the basis of an experiment to show how, though the Moon does rotate on its axis, it maintains the same face toward the Earth.

The next chapter, How the Moon Moves, looks at how the changing phases of the Moon occur. The author explains the Moon’s movement across the sky and how the hunter’s moon and harvest moon are related to this movement. The first experiment uses a tennis ball, a table tennis ball, string, and a torch to demonstrate the occurrence of the lunar phases. Moore goes on to relate how the Moon’s apparent size in the sky is not nearly so great as most people think (p. 26). An experiment whereby a sixpence (6d) held out at arm’s length in front of the observer clearly covers the Moon. Moore then informs readers that, strictly speaking, the Moon does not merely orbit the Earth—rather, the two bodies orbit around each other’s centers of common gravity. In pictorial form, the author describes this type of motion in which a dumbbell is rotated from its center; the two ends of the dumbbell rotate around this common center of gravity—the barycenter. Moore explains that the same experiment can be conducted by two table tennis balls each glued to the end of a stick.

Chapter 4, Looking at the Moon, describes the craters and the mountains of the Moon and how the heights of the latter are measured. Described in this chapter is an experiment using a small circular dollop of mud placed on a football to demonstrate why craters near the limb of the Moon appear elongated when in fact they are circular in shape. A torch shone first above and then below a model crater made with a dollop of mud placed in the garden or on a piece of wood or cardboard will indicate why at times the craters cast shadows while at other times they do not. The next chapter, The Moon’s Surface, mentions the theories that attempt to account for the formation of the craters and explains that while these and other features of the lunar surface were formed millions of years ago when the Moon was highly geologically active, this same body today is a virtually changeless world.

The interrogative title of chapter 6, Is There Life on the Moon?, after considering the near zero atmosphere of this body because of insufficient gravity there to prevent air molecules from escaping into space, proffers an answer in the negative.

Eclipses of the Moon is the title of chapter 7. A tennis ball, a table tennis ball, and a torch (or bicycle lamp) are the materials required to demonstrate by experiment how these phenomena occur. Patrick Moore provides a diagram on page 64 to show lunar eclipses and the shadows cast during the process.

After considering the impracticalities of Jules Verne’s method of sending men to the Moon (chapter 8, Rockets to the Moon), the author explains the principles of rocketry. The experiment here involves an ordinary balloon blown up to near bursting point and released. On the Earth, it would spin around haphazardly prior to coming to land; but in space, it would move in a straight line.

In the following chapter entitled The Other Side of the Moon, the author, after dismissing many bizarre notions of what lies on the Moon’s opposite side, informs readers that the Russian spacecraft Lunik III successfully sent back pictures of the other side of the Moon; apart from a paucity of mare, the dark side of the Moon presents a face rather similar to the one with which we are familiar. However, even prior to Lunik III, we could at times see 59 percent of the Moon’s surface. The author explains this as being due to a phenomenon known as libration—a kind of wobbling motion of the Moon caused by its elliptical orbit around the barycenter of the Earth.

The penultimate chapter, On the Moon, deals with the way human beings would have to cope with living on the hostile environment the Moon presents. The weak gravitational pull of the Moon would make humans feel lighter there, and the sky would present a black rather than the blue color we are used to seeing on Earth. While this section of the book is dated in the sense that men have already been to the Moon, it is not in that lunar bases have yet to be established there. Moore looks at the challenges involved in setting up such bases and concludes that because of meteor bombardment, they would have to be built underground. The author mentions the great benefits lunar bases would confer on humanity as a whole in that they would have spin-off effects on other areas of science such as medicine, chemistry, and astronomy.

The final chapter, Test Your Skill, is composed of fifty questions related to the material in the ten preceding chapters of the book. This provides an effective way in which the reader’s knowledge of the Moon can be greatly enhanced. The final page (96) has an index of the most important terms used throughout the book.

III

GUIDE TO THE MOON, PATRICK MOORE

G uide to the Moon by Sir Patrick Moore was first published in 1976 by Book Club Association by arrangement with Lutterworth Press. The book’s 320 pages contain a foreword, acknowledgments, sixteen chapters, and eight appendixes.

Chapter 1, which also serves as an introduction and entitled The Eagle Has Landed, begins the book at the point in time (July 1969) when the first of the six manned Apollo missions successfully landed on the moon. The appropriateness of beginning the book at this particular moment in space travel endeavors can be can be understood if reference is made to the author’s previous book on lunar studies (A Survey of the Moon {W. W. Norton and Co. 1953}), which was published sixteen years before Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of our natural satellite. Between the publication of the two books, a tremendous amount had been added to the stock of knowledge about the moon, mainly because of the rock samples brought back to Earth by the six Apollo missions (1969–1972).

By stark contrast to chapter 1, the next chapter propels the reader back thousands of years to the time when the moon was considered to be something quite different from the airless landscape of craters, mountains, and maria that we know it to be today. From the old German myth of how the man in the moon was an old villager caught stealing cabbages and thus sent to the moon as punishment, to the Chinese legend that explained the moon as the god of marriages, to the Indian myth that a toad jumped onto the moon to escape the amorous overtures of a wolf are among the examples given by Moore to demonstrate the ancient mythology relating to the moon.

Sir Patrick Moore refers to chapter 3, entitled A Picture of the Universe, as a somewhat lengthy digression (p. 30). However, as this chapter places the moon within a wider cosmological context, the reader cannot fail but to discern that our satellite is somewhat parochial in the grander picture of the universe.

The next chapter focuses on the theories concerning the origin of the moon. While this still remains something of a puzzle, the older theories of the moon’s birth, such as those propounded by Laplace, G. H. Darwin, and W. H. Pickering, are dismissed by the author as unworkable. As the Moon and the Earth have always been separate bodies, Moore considers the moon as being a companion-planet rather than that of a mere satellite (p. 36).

Chapter 5 is devoted to the movements of the moon. The author explains both in the main body of the text and in diagrammatic form how the moon, in terms of its orbital path around the Earth and its alignment with the sun, presents its well-known changes in appearance, which we call phases. The author also explains the tidal locking mechanism by which the moon, though it rotates on its axis, keeps the same face pointed toward the Earth.

In the chapter that follows, the author concentrates on how the moon affects the Earth, the main effect being the regulation of the tides. In his previous book, A Survey of the Moon (vide supra), Sir Patrick Moore treated on the subject of rocks known as tektites; then it was commonly believed that they originated from the Moon. However, Moore dismisses this origins theory in Guide to the Moon as no tektites were found in the rock samples returned to Earth by the Apollo astronauts.

In chapter 7, the author takes us from the earliest attempts at mapping the moon all the way through to the sophisticated and more accurate mapping performed by orbiters in the space-age era. Chapter 8 examines the geological features of the Moon and looks at how these have been interpreted (and misinterpreted) at various periods in the history of lunar observation and mapping attempts.

As there can be no doubt that the craters are the most popularly known of the lunar surface’s features, chapter 9 is completely devoted to these depressions that dot the landscape of the Moon. Moore explains their structure and relates how scientists have attempted to grapple with the difficulty of determining their origins.

Chapter 10 deals with the questions of the Moon having an atmosphere and life existing on the surface of the Moon. The author explains that the Moon’s atmosphere is so negligible as to be virtually nonexistent and that there is no prospect of ever finding life in so hostile an environment.

In chapter 11, the author, after relating some ancient superstitions regarding eclipses of the sun, shows his readers by textual explanation and carefully constructed diagrams how eclipses of the Moon and Sun actually occur.

The following chapter deals with the chronology of mapping and exploring the Moon by spacecraft—from Lunik 1 in 1959 to Apollo 17 in 1972. Moore emphasizes the importance of lunar research endeavors by terrestrial-based telescopes, lunar orbiters, and lunar landers in making the Apollo manned missions possible.

Sixteen pages of photographs come between the end of chapter 12 and the start of chapter 13. These photographs show the Moon from different perspectives, with one photograph being of the far side of the moon.

As men walking on the lunar surface is generally considered as being the greatest achievement of the twentieth century, Sir Patrick Moore devotes a whole chapter (13) to it. Since the Apollo manned missions, our understanding of the composition of both the Moon’s surface and interior has expanded in leaps and bounds.

Chapter 14 attempts to deal with the processes that shaped the various geological features on the lunar surface. And the penultimate chapter (15), in examining phenomena known as flashes, glows, and moonquakes, informs readers that while there may be no activity of any dramatic moment taking place on the Moon now, Earth’s natural satellite is by no means totally inert.

The final chapter (16) looks at the possibilities of manned exploration of the moon in the post-Apollo era. Moore stresses that the six manned missions to the moon (Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 17) were merely for reconnaissance purposes (p. 213) and that lunar bases will be the next major stage in lunar exploration. The author points out that while there is nothing on the moon of any commercial value, its near zero atmosphere and absolute silence would be ideal for optical and radio astronomical purposes. Physicists will be able to study radiation from space unhindered by atmospheric interference, and the low gravity there will make it possible to develop vastly improved surgical techniques, which would not be possible in a high-gravity terrestrial context.

Appendix 1, with its five sections, whereby the author proffers practical advice on the mechanics of lunar observation, could have been quite legitimately constituted as a chapter in itself. What makes this appendix (and, indeed, the entire book) so relevant today is that since there has been no manned mission to the moon for forty-five years (at the time of writing this review), lunar studies has reverted to ground-based observations, with the amateur playing a major role in them (Sir Patrick Moore has stated that the moon has been considered as somewhat parochial by professional astronomers!).

Appendix 2 supplies a sample of literature related to the Moon for those who might wish to do more extensive reading on the subject. Appendix 3 provides numerical data related to the Moon, while appendix 4 lists the eclipses of the moon from 1976 to 1986. Appendix 5 gives a list of lunar landings—both unmanned and manned.

Appendix 6, consisting of no less than sixty-eight pages, gives a detailed description and maps of the Moon in each of its four quadrants with extensive nomenclature of the features, while appendix 7 lists in alphabetical order the data described in the map and text. Appendix 8 gives a rough cartographic sketch of the far side of the moon with a list of the names of the principal features there.

Although this book was published forty-one years ago (at the time of writing this review), it still remains a treasure trove of information for the would-be selenographer. In no way is it written with a highly technical bias toward the professional astronomer, but rather with a view to assisting the amateur moon gazer get as much satisfaction and enjoyment from his hobby as possible.

IV

THE CRATERS OF THE MOON, PATRICK MOORE

T he Craters of the Moon by Sir Patrick Moore and Peter J. Cattermole, published in 1967 by Lutterworth Press, is a 160-page book composed of seventeen chapters, an index of the terminology used throughout the work, and sixteen plates depicting the Moon in various aspects. The book gives a description of the geological features of the Moon and examines some of the theories regarding their origin. Each chapter ends with a list of extensive reference material for those who might wish to pursue a particular chapter’s focus in greater depth and detail. Many of the chapters provide diagrammatic depictions to demonstrate the structures of various geological forms.

The first chapter, Aspect of the Lunar Surface, provides a brief historical overview of lunar observers over the past 350 or so years and praises the great contributions of amateur selenographers¹ to the mapping of, and thus to our understanding of, the surface features of the Moon. The chapter provides a list of nine of the most prominent features of the lunar surface, the most notable of which are the maria,² the craters, and the mountains.

Chapter 2, entitled Theories of Crater Origin: Historical Summary, relates the theories that have been proposed to explain the origin of what is undoubtedly the most well-known features of the Moon’s surface—the craters. These essentially fall into two categories: impact and volcanic. While Moore and Cattermole do not deny that impact craters exist on the Moon, they emphasize that it is the volcanic theory of origins that they favor to explain the greater part of the lunar crater phenomenon.

In chapter 3, entitled Geological Principles, the two authors turn their attention to terrestrial geology and show the similarities and differences between the geology of the Moon and the Earth. Chapter 4, Terrestrial Volcanic Structures, mainly focuses on the structure and function of volcanic forms on Earth. Chapter 5, Non-Volcanic and Non-Meteoric Theories, returns to the Moon and explains what the authors consider as being incorrect theories relating to crater formation.

Chapter 6, The Impact Theory of Lunar Craters, continues to show the weaknesses in the impact theory of crater origins and forward arguments supporting endogenic³ processes to explain their origins.

While Moore and Cattermole reject the impact theory as an explanation for crater formation, they also express their doubts as to the volcanic origins of these structures in terms of a direct comparison with terrestrial volcanism. Chapter 7, Volcanic Theory of Crater Origin, makes mention of the various theories of volcanic activity that have, since the 1860s, been proposed as the means by which craters came into being. The authors claim that lunar craters bear greater comparison to terrestrial calderas⁴ than to volcanoes. Chapter 8, Terrestrial and Lunar Structures Compared, succeeds in modifying the volcanic origins theory of lunar crater formation by arguing that terrestrial and lunar volcanism are of different types.

The Surface Materials, the title of chapter 9, attempts to explain the nature of the material that lies on the Moon. After dismissing the dust theory expounded by T. Gold, R. A. Lyttleton, and P. Stubbs, which held that the maria were composed of dust several miles in thickness, the authors state that maria material is known as lunabase, whereas the material on other parts of the Moon is termed lunarite. Considering that the book was written prior to the Apollo moon missions, the description of the terrestrial methods involved for studying lunar rocks is now somewhat dated.

Chapter 10, with the intriguing title put in the interrogative case, Present Volcanic Activity on the Moon? considers as to whether the Moon is still geologically active. The authors present Linne crater as a case in point: discovered around 1838, it had disappeared when reobserved in 1866. Explanations for the apparent change were put down to weaknesses in human observation and the limitations of the telescopic instrumentation in use at the time. While Moore and Cattermole rule out volcanic activity to explain temporary glows and obscurations on areas of the Moon’s surface, they give these phenomena more credence than they do to disappearing craters. The authors come down in favor of the theory that holds that these colorations are mainly due to the effusion of gas from below the lunar surface.

The Grid System and Lunar Deformation is the title of chapter 11. It introduces us to the grid system of the Moon, a system that is interesting to the selenologist in that it is mentioned constantly throughout the remaining chapter of the book. That the craters of the Moon run along this common pattern constitutes convincing proof for the authors that they cannot have been formed by meteoric impact. Moore and Cattermole also argue for the tidal forces of the Earth having had a hand in the deformation of the lunar crust and thus the subsequent formation of craters.

Chapter 12, with the title Maria, as its name suggests, deals with the second most popularly known feature of the lunar surface. These are divided into two main types" the regular and the irregular maria. However, the writers emphasize that they desist from drawing a distinction between a regular mare and a walled plain (p. 109). The geology of the maria are described in detail, and the two authors argue for a volcanic origin based on subsidence in areas associated with tectonic activity (p. 105).

Unlike on Earth, there are no fold mountains on the Moon. In chapter 13, the authors put this down to the fact that there are no sedimentary rocks on the Moon. Their origin is due to volcanism, and they are part and parcel of the grid system.

Chapter 14’s title, Walled Formations, actually refers to the lunar features more popularly termed craters. Moore and Cattermole, however, consider that crater is too general a term to describe the great variety of these structures throughout the lunar landscape. Once again, the authors emphasize their association with the grid system that spaces them out in a regularity, which argues for a volcanic rather than an impact origin.

Linear Elements, the title of chapter 15, deals with geological features that are narrow in terms of their length. The wrinkle ridges, faults, clefts, and rilles constitute these features and are part of the grid system.

Chapter 16, The Lunar Rays, deals with one of the most mysterious of the lunar features. These rays emanate from their craters and spread out in all directions. These, being younger formations, have serious consequences for the impact theory. However, a violent origin for these rays poses problems too. Moore and Cattermole propose the theory that they were produced by disturbances in a crater, which disturbances created the same along lines of weaknesses in the Moon’s crust.

The final chapter, 17, is a summary of the book’s main points. After dismissing the notion that any sort of life exits or ever has existed on the Moon, the two writers provide a four-point summary of their book, to wit that exogenic forces⁵ have played no major role in crater formation; that the surface is not covered with soft, fine dust miles in thickness; that calderas of the terrestrial type best explain the walled formations (craters); and that there is no significant geological activity taking place on the Moon now—apart from minor . . . transient phenomena which indicate mild volcanic activity (p. 152).

Though the book is somewhat dated, it does provide for a historical in-depth study of the evolution of our knowledge of the lunar surface, while its descriptive overview of lunar topography can serve as a general guide to give the would-be selenographer a worthwhile framework for more detailed study and investigation. For these two reasons, the book is still a great read.

V

EXPLORING THE EARTH AND MOON, PATRICK MOORE

E xploring the Moon by Sir Patrick Moore is a large near-square-shaped ninety-six-page book replete with amazing color pictures of the Earth and the Moon. Published in 1991 by Brian Trodd Publishing House Limited, this exciting book of twelve chapters, three appendixes, and an index guides the reader through the formation of the Earth and its satellite and the influence the two worlds exert upon each other.

The Earth in Space serves as an introductory chapter by giving due consideration to the fact that questions regarding our planet involve many branches of science. Moore explains the position of the Earth within the wider context of the solar system and examines the difference between the Earth and its sole satellite. As the Moon is large relative to the Earth, the author states that knowledge of the one increases our knowledge of the other.

In the following chapter, Formation of the Earth, Moore discusses the creation of the Earth with reference to that of the entire solar system, which, in turn, is related to the creation process of the universe itself. The information posed in this chapter allows us to see our Earth within the context of the much wider cosmos of which it is an intrinsic part.

Chapter 3, The Story of the Earth, looks at theories regarding the origin of life on Earth and how the climate and landmasses have changed over the eons. Such issues as continental drift and the mystery of the extinction of the dinosaurs are covered in this section of the book.

In the next chapter, The Earth as a Planet, the author considers the Earth in terms of its relationship to the wider cosmos and treats upon the changing views over the centuries regarding the size and shape of the Earth. After leading the reader up to the times when the heliocentric theory replaced the old geocentric model, Moore discusses the Earth’s interior and explains the processes whereby earthquakes and volcanoes occur and how the Earth’s magnetic field is generated.

In chapter 5, The Atmosphere and Beyond, the reader learns about the different layers of the Earth’s atmosphere and about the various types of rocket and spacecraft that have successfully escaped the Earth’s gravitational pull and traveled through these layers into outer space.

In The Earth’s Moon, the title of chapter 6, the author renders a sampling of entertaining myths that various ancient peoples around the world concocted about the origins of the Moon. Also in this chapter, Moore explains how such phenomena as lunar phases and lunar eclipses occur. In the following chapter, The Moon and the Earth, Moore explains how the Moon causes tides to occur on Earth.

Chapter 8, Mapping the Moon, deals with the history of attempts to draw up maps of the lunar surface. In discussing the history of lunar observers, Moore provides some amusing anecdotes of what these observers saw—or what they thought they saw!—through their telescopes. In the next chapter, The Lunar World, the reader learns about the various topographical features of the Moon and about the ongoing controversy regarding the origins of the two most prominent features of the lunar surface: the maria and the craters.

In chapter 10, entitled Missions to the Moon, Patrick Moore explains how the rock samples that were collected by the Apollo astronauts and returned to Earth for scientific analysis greatly enhanced our understanding of the composition of the materials on the surface of the Moon. He also mentions the interesting fact that various seismic-type equipment left on the Moon by the astronauts did much to increase our knowledge of the interior of the Moon.

In The Lunar Base, the penultimate chapter of the book, Sir Patrick eruditely and articulately provides convincing justification for the expenditure of