5 JANUARY 1867, Page 9

A volcano in the Moon is said to be in

an active state. The crater called Linne, on the Mare Serenitatis, was noticed by an astronomer at Athens, a M. Schmidt, during the months of October and November, to be obscured. English photo-- graphs taken during the same time show the crater very faintly marked. The same darkness was observed on this spot by the eminent astronomer Schroeter, in November, 1788. The impres- sion is that an eruption is going on, but if so, mast not the Moon have an atmosphere ? Could combustion take place without oxygen ? Would the smoke—the carbonic acid gas—rise without some heavier gas, like atmospheric air, to rise in ?