The Vanishing Crater of Linné
A respected astronomer announced that a crater on the Moon had disappeared, which would mean the Moon was still changing.
What was reported
In October 1866, the German astronomer Julius Schmidt, who had spent years mapping the Moon, announced that the crater Linné, drawn on earlier maps as deep and about 10 km wide, had vanished. In its place he saw only a small whitish patch.
The claim caused a sensation. If true, it meant the Moon wasn't a dead world, and astronomers across Europe turned their telescopes to the spot.
Explanations offered
Linné is a small, fresh crater about 2.4 km across, surrounded by bright material. Its appearance changes a great deal with the angle of sunlight, and the older maps had exaggerated its size. Most astronomers now think nothing changed, though the episode helped shape a century of debate about whether the Moon is still active.
- When
- October 1866
- Where
- Linné crater, Sea of Serenity, the Moon
- Witnesses
- Astronomer Julius Schmidt, and many who checked after him
- Status
- Mostly explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.