IMAGE ON THE MOON

The New York Express of May 25, 1843, contained the following, copied from the Penola, Miss., Register: “Wonderful Phenomena-Singular Appearance of the Moon-A Black Spot on the Surface-The Moon Split into Fragments-Lights Shooting Off from It and Forming into the Shape of a Man!LDT 113.4

“Mr. James D. King, a respectable citizen of this county, and a gentleman of undoubted veracity, called at our office on Wednesday, and gave the following details of a most remarkable appearance of the moon for about an hour between seven and nine o’clock on Tuesday night last.LDT 114.1

“He stated that, being in the habit of noticing the appearances of the moon at this season of the year, with a view to the common prognostication of whether it would be ‘wet or dry,’ he observed, while looking with that object, on Tuesday night, that it appeared at first much larger than common, nearly three times the usual size, and more like a circular sheet of fire than like an ordinary moon. In a few moments a very black spot was plainly discernible about the center of the moon’s disc, which immediately commenced playing up and down, backward and forward, on the surface; and as the spot approached the upper edge, it grew less, and a faint light distinctly shone through it. This spot became stationary in the center, when the moon divided into three separate fragments, each giving distinct and separate lights, being of irregular forms, and appearing as though the spot had split them off. Then the moon gradually returned to its original appearance, and from that again looked natural.LDT 114.2

“What he had already seen was so remarkable that Mr. King, with his family, continued the observation, and but a few moments had elapsed before the black spot again appeared, and again theLDT 114.3

PICTURE-WONDERFUL MOON PHENOMENA, MISSISSIPPI, MAY, 1843

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moon divided-this time into four distinct irregular parts or fragments; and immediately a light resembling the tail of a comet shot from the lower fragment at the southeast corner, apparently some three or four feet downward, while another, much larger, from the upper portion, or northwest corner, struck off directly upward, to the length of between five and six feet. This last now went off and left the corner apparently four feet or more, and turned into the shape of a man standing erect. The figure was of the most perfect imaginable symmetry, of about the medium size and height, clothed in the purest snow-white, and the back alone presenting itself to view. It was visible a few moments, when gradually the figure changed to the simple light, the lights returned to the fragments, these again came together, and the moon resumed a natural appearance.LDT 117.1

“The family of Mr. King, consisting of his wife and a daughter thirteen years of age, with another young lady, all witnessed what is above related. Mr. King lives about five miles east of this place. He protests that, in calling on us to make public these facts, he has no motive but to tell a plain, unvarnished tale of truth, and leaves others to judge of its import-that he was not in the least alarmed or agitated, but as much in his sober senses as he ever was in his life. And in order that no one should have occasion to doubt the sincerity of his narrative, he has authorized us to give his name and to refer to his family as witnesses of the scene with himself.LDT 117.2

... He avows that his statement, from which we have deviated, if at all, in no essential particular, is true, and will at all times be maintained to be true on his honor and character as a man, as he will convince any one more fully who may choose to inquire of him further in relation to it.”LDT 118.1