From the Earth to the Moon, Chapter 4 summary
Chapter 4 of 51 · Part 1 · 6 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 4, Barbicane and his colleagues consult the Cambridge Observatory, whose reply declares a lunar projectile theoretically possible and specifies its speed, direction, location, and timing. The astronomers identify a December launch opportunity and warn that missing it means waiting eighteen years and eleven days for the same conditions.
What happens
- Barbicane gathers his colleagues, and they send six astronomical questions to the Cambridge Observatory before addressing the mechanical problems.
- The reply confirms theoretical possibility, provided the projectile starts at 12,000 yards per second, and recommends calculations based on the Moon’s nearest distance.
- The astronomers calculate a journey lasting 97 hours, 13 minutes, and 20 seconds, accounting for changing gravitational attraction.
- They require a vertical shot from a site between 0° and 28° north or south latitude.
- They specify firing on December 1 to meet the Moon at midnight on December 4 of the coming year.
- The observatory urges immediate preparation because the required alignment does not recur for eighteen years and eleven days.
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In this chapter
What to notice
The reply separates astronomical possibility from mechanical success. The calculations support the plan, but the launching equipment still has to supply sufficient power.
Quick check
Where must the cannon point according to the observatory?
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