What Was the Moon Hoax of 1835?
Starting on August 25, 1835, a New York penny press newspaper known as The Sun printed six fabricated news stories claiming that life and civilization had been discovered, causing an immediate public reaction, until the paper admitted the fallacy on September 16, 1835. The renowned British astronomer Sir John Herschel had discovered life and civilization on the Moon through a telescope situated at the Cape of Good Hope.
For about three weeks, The Sun reporter Richard Adams Locke claimed Herschel used a new hydro-oxygen telescope from his observatory in South Africa to view the lunar surface.
Locke wrote in the articles that the surface was filled with vegetation, forests, oceans, and pyramids, along with miniature bison, blue unicorns, and bipedal tail-less beavers, showing signs of life.
Furthermore, reporter Locke intended the six articles to be satire to mock astronomical findings of the 1800s, but because of widespread public belief, the stories became viral.
Although Polymath Sir John Herschel (March 7, 1792 to May 11, 1871) truthfully charted the southern skies, he was unable to deny the claims, as his communications across oceans took weeks.
This media incident highlighted the lack of journalistic and editorial standards during the 19th century, and arguably foreshadowed the challenges of misinformation that persist today.
Today, journalists are required to fact-check names, dates, quotes, and statistics to ensure an article is truthful before it is published.
Overall, the Great Moon Hoax of 1835 showcased the power of the press and the public’s strong willingness to believe in news without any form of verification.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1) Did people actually believe the Great Moon Hoax of 1835?
Yes. Despite the outlandish claims, much of the public took the reports seriously, driving The Sun to massive global circulation numbers before the paper eventually admitted fabrication.
Source: https://www.cooperhewitt.org/2015/10/25/the-great-moon-hoax-of-1835/
3) Why was the hoax created?
Locke intended the article as a satire to lampoon the highly speculative theories of writer Thomas Dick, a contemporary astronomer and minister who claimed the solar system was heavily populated by trillions of extraterrestrial beings.
3) Who wrote the articles?
The Sun editor Richard Adams Locke wrote the articles. He attributed them to Dr. Andrew Grant, a fictional colleague of the real-life and famous British astronomer Sir John Herschel.
Source: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/august-25/the-great-moon-hoax
Why it matters
This media hoax was an example of how sensational misinformation can shape public opinion and trust in the media.
Sources
- "The Great Moon Hoax" is Published in the "New York Sun"" HISTORY.com Editors, HISTORY, November 24, 2009, Last Updated: May 27, 2025
- "The Great Moon Hoax" National Air and Space Museum, Library of Congress
- "The Great Moon Hoax of 1835 Was Sci-Fi Passed Off as News" Meg Matthias, Britannica Editors, September 1, 2026, Britannica