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Abstract

The idea that the changes of the moon do affect the
rainfall has widely prevailed from the earliest ages.
Sailors especial]y are great believers in the influence of the
moon on the weather.
Dr. R. J. Mann, vice-president of the Meteorological
Society, in an article on "High Clouds and Moonshine," in
"Science for All," part 52, says: "Amongst the long
prevalent notions that have been held concerning the changes
of the weather, there are, perhaps, none that have been more
generally entertained and cherished than those which connect
them with what are termed the changes, or, in other words,
recurring phases of illumination of the moon.
The moon, as a matter of fact, does produce a physical influence upon the earth, but it is an influence of an altogether
different kind to the one which is implied by this popular
piece of weather delusion.
Seeing that the statements of scientific men and the
popular notions on the subject of the moon's influence on the
weather seemed to be at variance, I resolved to investigate the
matter for myself; and accordingly in 1880 I began to keep a
meteorological journal in a rough way, and have continued it
up to the present time. Having now
ten years' observations to work upon, I thought I might safely
proceed to ascertain what conclusions might be drawn from
them, and with that view prepared table B appended to this
paper.
My observations, as thus tabulated, give the following
results for the ten years from 1880 to 1889.
So far as these periods, taken separately, go, we cannot
discover any law of relation between the changes, or quarters,
of the moon, and the rain-fall.

Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	Nowell, Edwin Cradock
Keywords:	Royal Society of Tasmania, Van Diemens Land, VDL, Hobart Town, natural sciences, proceedings, records
Journal or Publication Title:	Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania
ISSN:	0080-4703
Collections:	Royal Society Collection > Papers & Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania
Additional Information:	In 1843 the Horticultural and Botanical Society of Van Diemen's Land was founded and became the Royal Society of Van Diemen's Land for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement of Science in 1844. In 1855 its name changed to Royal Society of Tasmania for Horticulture, Botany, and the Advancement of Science. In 1911 the name was shortened to Royal Society of Tasmania.
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