Composite historical image. On the left is a reproduction of an 1835 issue of The Sun, a New York penny newspaper. The headline announces extraordinary astronomical discoveries on the Moon. Beneath the headline are detailed engravings depicting imagined lunar landscapes and bat-like humanoid figures with wings — part human, part animal — shown standing upright and interacting in a rocky environment. The layout reflects 19th-century newspaper typography with dense serif text and column formatting.
On the right is a sepia-toned engraved portrait of British astronomer Sir John Herschel. He appears seated, dressed in formal 19th-century attire, with a composed and intellectual expression. His hair is neatly styled, and the engraving emphasizes shadow and line detail typical of the era.
The combined image visually contrasts fabricated lunar “discoveries” with the real scientific authority whose name was used to legitimize the hoax. The overall tone is historical and archival, referencing the 1835 Great Moon Hoax — one of the earliest large-scale media hoaxes in American journalism.
In 1835, a NY newspaper convinced readers the Moon had bat-men.
No AI. No social media.
The Great Moon Hoax shows misinformation isn’t new — only the tools are.
History explains today’s fake news better than outrage.
#MediaHistory #FakeNews #MoonHoax