History & Words: ‘Consternation’ (August 25)

Welcome to ‘History & Words.’ I’m Prashant, founder of Wordpandit and the Learning Inc. Network. This series combines my passion for language learning with historical context. Each entry explores a word’s significance on a specific date, enhancing vocabulary while deepening understanding of history. Join me in this journey of words through time.

🔍 Word of the Day: Consternation

Pronunciation: /ˌkɒnstərˈneɪʃən/ (kon-ster-NAY-shun)

🌍 Introduction

On August 25, 1835, the New York Sun newspaper published the first in a series of six articles that would cause unprecedented consternation among readers across America and eventually around the world. The articles, purportedly reprinted from the Edinburgh Journal of Science, detailed astonishing astronomical discoveries made by the renowned British astronomer Sir John Herschel using an advanced telescope at his observatory in South Africa. These “discoveries” included forests, beaches, bison-like creatures, beaver-like beings that walked upright, and most sensationally, winged humanoids living on the lunar surface.

The public reaction to these reports exemplified consternation in its purest form—a sudden, alarming confusion that leaves people feeling anxious, dismayed, and uncertain how to respond. Readers were simultaneously amazed, bewildered, and disoriented by news that fundamentally challenged their understanding of the cosmos and humanity’s place within it. Scientific institutions demanded details, religious leaders contemplated theological implications, and ordinary citizens debated what this meant for humanity’s understanding of its place in creation.

This historical episode, later dubbed “The Great Moon Hoax,” represents one of history’s most successful media deceptions and demonstrates how easily consternation can spread through a society when authoritative sources present extraordinary claims in a convincing manner. The incident occurred at a pivotal moment in communication history, as improved printing technology and lower newspaper prices were creating the first truly mass media, capable of reaching unprecedented audiences with identical information simultaneously—a perfect mechanism for generating widespread consternation.

🌱 Etymology

The word “consternation” derives from the Latin “consternationem” (nominative: “consternatio”), which comes from the verb “consternare,” meaning “to overcome, confuse, or terrify.” The term combines “con” (thoroughly) with “sternere” (to throw down, prostrate, or scatter), suggesting a state of being so thoroughly confused or alarmed that one feels metaphorically knocked over or thrown to the ground.

The word entered English in the early 17th century, initially referring to a state of paralyzed terror or dismay so severe it leaves one unable to act. Over time, its meaning softened somewhat to encompass feelings of alarm, confusion, and anxiety that, while distressing, do not necessarily incapacitate completely. This evolution reflects changing cultural attitudes toward emotional expression, with modern usage acknowledging milder forms of emotional disturbance than the overwhelming terror implied by the original Latin.

📖 Key Vocabulary

• 🔑 Hoax: A deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as the truth
• 🔑 Yellow journalism: A type of journalism that presents little or no legitimate well-researched news while using eye-catching headlines for increased sales
• 🔑 Astronomical telescope: An instrument designed to make distant objects appear larger and brighter, particularly celestial bodies
• 🔑 Credulity: A tendency to be too ready to believe that something is real or true

🏛️ Historical Context

The concept of consternation has manifested throughout human history when established worldviews face sudden challenges. Ancient civilizations experienced consternation during unexpected celestial events like eclipses or comets, interpreting them as divine messages or omens. Medieval Europe faced consternation during the Black Death, as existing medical and religious frameworks proved inadequate to explain or address the catastrophe.

The early 19th century represented a period of particularly rapid change in Western societies. The Industrial Revolution was transforming economies and social structures, while scientific discoveries regularly challenged traditional beliefs. Astronomy held special significance in this intellectual ferment, as improved telescopes were revealing new details about the solar system and beyond, sparking debates about the possibility of life on other worlds.

This era also witnessed a revolution in mass communication. The invention of the steam-powered printing press in 1814 dramatically reduced newspaper production costs, while growing literacy rates expanded potential readership. By the 1830s, a new type of newspaper had emerged in America—the “penny press,” exemplified by the New York Sun, which launched in 1833. Selling for just one cent, compared to the six cents charged by traditional papers, these publications aimed at working-class readers rather than elites and prioritized sensational stories over political commentary.

The New York Sun’s publisher, Benjamin Day, had introduced this business model to American journalism, focusing on crime, scandal, and human interest stories to drive circulation. The Moon Hoax emerged directly from this commercial imperative, as the paper sought content that would boost sales through fascination and consternation rather than substantive reporting.

⏳ Timeline

1. 1781: William Herschel (father of John Herschel) discovers Uranus, expanding the known solar system
2. 1814: Friedrich Koenig invents the steam-powered printing press
3. 1833: The New York Sun begins publication as one of America’s first penny papers
4. 1834: John Herschel establishes an observatory at the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
5. August 25, 1835: The Sun publishes the first of six articles about lunar discoveries
6. August 25-31, 1835: The complete “Great Moon Hoax” series is published
7. September 16, 1835: The Sun admits the lunar stories were satire, not fact
8. 1836: Edgar Allan Poe claims the hoax was plagiarized from his earlier fiction
9. 1837: The Sun becomes the world’s highest-circulation newspaper
10. 1837: John Herschel, having returned to England, finally hears about the hoax
11. 1887: Circulation of American daily newspapers reaches 4 million

🌟 The Day’s Significance

August 25, 1835, marked the beginning of what media historians consider the first major fake news phenomenon in the modern press. The initial article, published inconspicuously on the second page of the New York Sun, announced that Sir John Herschel had made “astronomical discoveries of the most wonderful description” using “an immense telescope of an entirely new principle.”

The article’s technical language lent it credibility, describing a hydro-oxygen microscope attachment that supposedly magnified objects 42,000 times, far beyond the capabilities of any existing telescope. It cited the respected Edinburgh Journal of Science as its source (a publication that had actually ceased publication years earlier) and attributed the discoveries to Herschel, a legitimate and renowned astronomer who was indeed conducting observations in South Africa at the time—though not of the moon.

Subsequent articles, published over the following five days, described increasingly spectacular discoveries: vast lunar forests, blue unicorn-like creatures, two-legged beavers that lived in huts and used fire, and finally, human-like beings with bat wings who appeared to engage in intelligent activities. Each installment generated greater consternation and higher newspaper sales, as readers struggled to reconcile these extraordinary claims with their existing understanding of the moon as an airless, lifeless world.

The articles were actually written by Richard Adams Locke, a Cambridge-educated reporter working for the Sun. Locke likely intended the series as satire targeting earlier speculative claims about extraterrestrial life, particularly those by contemporary astronomer Thomas Dick, who had calculated there might be 4.2 billion inhabitants on the moon. However, the articles’ deadpan scientific style, authoritative attributions, and gradual escalation of claims created a perfect recipe for public consternation.

The Sun’s circulation reportedly rose from 8,000 to over 19,000 copies daily during the hoax, making it the world’s most-read newspaper. Other newspapers, uncertain about the claims but unwilling to be scooped on such a momentous story, reprinted the articles. Within weeks, the lunar discoveries had been reported across America and in European newspapers, spreading consternation across continents.

💬 Quote

“No article, perhaps, ever published in this country, awakened a more intense curiosity in the public mind, than that purporting to be a description of a magnificent observatory erected by the Earl of Rosse… and of the extraordinary lunar discoveries which had been made through it by Sir John Herschel.” — Edgar Allan Poe, commenting on the Great Moon Hoax and its impact, 1846

🔮 Modern Usage and Reflection

Today, “consternation” continues to describe the feeling of alarmed confusion and distress that occurs when expectations are suddenly upended or when trustworthy sources present disturbing information. The word appears frequently in contexts involving public reactions to shocking news, unexpected political developments, or scientific announcements that challenge established understanding.

The Great Moon Hoax finds clear parallels in modern media environments, where misinformation can spread rapidly through digital channels, causing widespread consternation before fact-checkers can respond. The public’s vulnerability to believable but false narratives remains remarkably consistent across centuries, despite advances in education and information access.

Contemporary discussions of media literacy, fake news, and information verification often reference historical episodes like the Moon Hoax as evidence that skepticism toward sensational claims is not a new imperative. The consternation caused by the 1835 lunar articles demonstrates how powerful the combination of authoritative sources, scientific language, and appealing narratives can be in overriding critical thinking—a lesson as relevant in today’s digital information ecosystem as it was in the early days of mass print media.

🏛️ Legacy

The Great Moon Hoax established several enduring patterns in media and public information consumption. It demonstrated the commercial potential of sensationalism, helping establish a business model that would dominate popular journalism for generations. The incident influenced the development of journalistic ethics, as subsequent generations of newspaper editors pointed to the hoax when arguing for more rigorous fact-checking and editorial standards.

For astronomy and public science communication, the episode created both challenges and opportunities. The immediate consternation gave way to embarrassment and skepticism that complicated legitimate scientific outreach. However, the incident also revealed tremendous public interest in astronomical discoveries, which more scrupulous publications and scientific institutions would later harness for educational purposes.

The lunar hoax became a cautionary tale in media studies, frequently cited as an early example of how new communication technologies can facilitate the rapid spread of misinformation. The episode’s central dynamic—authoritative-sounding but false information causing widespread consternation by challenging established worldviews—has repeated throughout media history, from the 1938 “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast to various internet-fueled conspiracy theories.

🔍 Comparative Analysis

The consternation generated by the Moon Hoax in 1835 differs from modern reactions to misinformation in several important ways. Nineteenth-century readers had significantly fewer information sources for verification and limited scientific literacy to evaluate technical claims. The revelation that respected newspapers could simply invent news was itself shocking to many readers accustomed to viewing print as inherently authoritative.

Contemporary audiences, while still vulnerable to misinformation, generally possess more skepticism toward media claims and greater access to verification tools. Today’s consternation typically involves initial belief followed by confusion as contradictory information emerges from different sources—a more complex and fragmented experience than the relatively uniform public reaction in 1835.

However, psychological similarities persist. Both then and now, consternation arises most powerfully when claims challenge fundamental assumptions while coming from seemingly trustworthy sources. The emotional progression from excitement to doubt to embarrassment follows similar patterns across historical contexts, suggesting enduring aspects of human psychology in information processing.

💡 Did You Know?

🎓 Conclusion

The consternation caused by the Great Moon Hoax beginning on August 25, 1835, represents a pivotal moment in media history when the power of the press to shape public perception became unmistakably apparent. As the first major fake news phenomenon of the modern era, it demonstrated how effectively authoritative presentation and scientific language could override skepticism, even when claims contradicted established knowledge. While the specific content of the lunar articles may seem obviously fictional to modern readers, the psychological and social dynamics that made the hoax effective remain remarkably relevant. In today’s complex information ecosystem, the lesson of the Moon Hoax—that consternation and credulity often travel together when sensational news breaks—offers valuable perspective on our ongoing struggles with misinformation and media literacy.

📚 Further Reading

• 📘 “The Sun and the Moon: The Remarkable True Account of Hoaxers, Showmen, Dueling Journalists, and Lunar Man-Bats in Nineteenth-Century New York” by Matthew Goodman
• 📗 “Faking the News: What Can We Learn from the Great Moon Hoax?” by Chris Otter
• 📙 “The Moon Hoax; or, A Discovery That the Moon Has a Vast Population of Human Beings” by Richard Adams Locke (republished with historical commentary)