MOON, (Luna ♀), in Astronomy, one of the heavenly bodies, usually ranked among the planets; but with more propriety accounted a satellite, or secondary planet.
Among the ancients, the moon was an object of prime regard.—By the Hebrews she was more regarded than the sun, and they were more inclined to worship her as a deity. The new moons, or first days of every month, were kept as festivals among them, which were celebrated with sound of trumpets, entertainments, and sacrifice. (See Numb. xviii. 11. x. 16. 1 Sam. xx. 5—18.) People were not obliged on these days to rest. The feasts of new moons were a miniature representation of the feast of trumpets, which was held on the first of the month Tisri, which was the beginning of the civil year. The Jews not being acquainted with the physical causes of eclipses, looked upon them, whether of sun or moon, as signs of the divine displeasure. The Grecians looked upon the moon as favourable to marriage; and the full moons, or the times of conjunction of sun and moon, were held the most lucky seasons for celebrating marriages; because they imagined the moon to have great influence over generation. The full moon was held favourable for any undertakings by the Spartans: And no motive could induce them to enter upon an expedition, march an army, or attack an enemy, till the full of the moon. The moon was supposed both by Greeks and Romans to preside over child-birth. The patricians at Rome wore a crescent on their shoes, to distinguish them from the other orders of men. This crescent was called Lumula. Some say it was of ivory, others that it was worked upon the shoe, and others that it was only a particular kind of fibula or buckle.
For the astronomical phenomena connected with the moon, see ASTRONOMY Index.
Harvest-Moon.—It is remarkable, that the moon, during the week in which she is full in harvest, rises sooner after sunset than she does in any other full moon week in the year. By doing so, she affords an immediate supply of light after sunset, which is very beneficial to the farmers for reaping and gathering in the fruits of the earth; and therefore they distinguish this full moon from all the others in the year, by calling it the harvest-moon.
Influence of the Moon on the Human Body.—The famous Dr Mead was a believer in the influence of the sun and moon on the human body, and published a book to this purpose, entitled De Imperio Solis ac Lunæ in Corpore Humano: but this opinion has been exploded by most philosophers, as equally unreasonable in itself, and contrary to fact. As the most accurate and sensible barometer is not affected by the various positions of the moon, it is not thought likely that the human body should be affected by them. Several learned and ingenious men, however, still consider Dr Mead's doctrine as far from being unfounded.