7 P.M.
I managed to save the greater part of the beverage , since , the atmospheric pressure being the same though the weight was so changed , lead , and still more china or liquid , fell in the Astronaut as slowly as feathers in the immediate vicinity of the Earth . Still it was a novel experience to find myself able to lean in any direction , and rest in almost any posture , with but the slightest support for the body 's centre of gravity ; and further to find on experiment that it was possible to remain for a couple of hours with my heels above my head , in the favourite position of a Yankee 's lower limbs , without any perceptible congestion of blood or confusion of brain . I was occupied all day with abstract calculations ; and knowing that for some time I could see nothing of the Earth -- her dark side being opposite me and wholly obscuring the Sun , while I was as yet far from having entered within the sphere where any novel celestial phenomena might be expected -- I only gave an occasional glance at the discometer and metacompass , suppressing of course the electric glare within my vessel , till I awoke from a short siesta about 19h . -LRB- 7 P.M. -RRB- The Earth at this time occupied on the sphere of view a space -- defined at first only by the absence of stars -- about thirty times greater than the disc of the Moon as seen through a tube ; but , being dark , scarcely seemed larger to the eye than the full Moon when on the horizon . But a new method of defining its disc was presently afforded me . I was , in fact , when looking through the lower window , in the same position as regards the Earth as would be an inhabitant of the lunar hemisphere turned towards her , having no external atmosphere interposed between us , but being at about two-thirds of the lunar distance . And as , during an eclipse , the Lunarian would see round the Earth a halo created by the refraction of the Sun 's rays in the terrestrial atmosphere -- a halo bright enough on most occasions so to illuminate the Moon as to render her visible to us -- so to my eyes the Earth was surrounded by a halo somewhat resembling the solar corona as seen in eclipses , if not nearly so brilliant , but , unlike the solar corona , coloured , with a preponderance of red so decided as fully to account for the peculiar hue of the eclipsed Moon .