An analysis of lunar events

Abstract

Recently, well‐substantiated reports of color changes and other evidence of lunar activity have led to increased interest in the possibility that the moon is not entirely inert. About 400 events, most in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, are analyzed from the following points of view: (1) type of event; (2) relative frequency and duration; (3) lunar phase; (4) correlation with solar activity; (5) position in the lunar orbit around the earth; (6) positions on the face of the moon of the sites of the events. Evidence is presented suggesting that the onset of a lunar event may be associated with disturbance of the lunar crust. A correlation with lunar tides has been found; the distribution of sites over the lunar surface is consistent with a hypothesis of disturbance of the surface layers through internal causes. Physical conditions in the lunar surface layers are, however, unknown; therefore many uncertainties remain.