Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-11-05
INTERESTING PLANETARY Dis
COVERfES.
The Continents and Winding Sc as Of
the Planet Mnrs-A World Unlike

The Continents and Winding Sc as Si
the Planet Mnrs-A World Unlike
Ours:
From the Boston Journal.
The planet Mars is the only object in
the whole heavens which is known to ex-.
hlbit features similar to those of our own
earth, and the accumulated explorations
and discoveries OfastrOnOmers during the
last two hundred years have resulted in
the construction Of globe representing
the characteristics Of this planet as as
tronOmers believe them to exist. At
recent meeting Of the Astronomical Soei-
ETY. OF England globe of Mars was ex-
hlblted, on which lands and seas were de-
plcted as upon an ordinary terrestrial
globe. by far the larger part of these
lands and seas We're laid down az WE'LL
known entities, respecting which no more
doubt Is felt among astronomers than IS
teltby geOgraphers concerning the oceans
and continents of our own globe An
interesting description of this globe sp-
pears in Fraser's Magazine To the lands
and seas developed in the planet are APP
piled the names Of those astronomers
whose researches have added to our
knowledge on the subject. Each pole Of
Mars, 1t seems, is capped with ice, which
varies in extent according to the progress
of the seasons. Around each cap is
polar sea, the northern sea being termed
the SchrOter Sea; the southern, Phillips
Sea. The equatorial regions Of Mars are
mainly occupied by extensive continents,
four in number, and named Dawes Con-
tinent, Nader Continent, Ssechi COnti-
nent, HerscheI /. {Sir w Continent,
Between Dawes and Hersehel Continent
flows sea shaped like an hour glass,
called Kaiser Sea, the large southern
ocean out Of which it flows being dsnOm-
mated Dawes Ocean. Between Nader
and Dawes Continent flows Dawes Strait,
connecting a large southern ocean and
northern sea, named after TychO. Her.
schel Continent is separated from Seechi
Continent by Higgins Inlet, flowing from
large southern sea termed Maraldi Sea
In like manner Bessel Inlet, flowing out
Of Airey Sea "a northern sea-, separates
the Nader and Ssechi Continents
Dawes Ocean separates into four large
seas, and large tracts of land lie between
them, but whether they are islands or not
is uncertain. In Delarne Ocean there IS
a small island which presents 50 bright
and giittering an aspect as to suggest the
Gifts being usually snow COW
cred. These seas separated by lands Of
doubtful extent, reach from Delarne
Ocean to the South pole
One Of the most singular features Of
Mars is the prevalence Of long and wind,
ing inlets and bOttle-necked seas. These
features are wholly distinct from any
thing on our earth For example, Hig-
gins Inlet is long fOrked stream, extend
ing for about three thousand miles. Bess
sci Inlet is nearly as long, and Nasmyth
Inlet still more remarkable in its form
On our earth the oceans are three times
as extensive as the continents. 90 Mars
a very different arrangement prevails. In
the first place there is little disparity be.
tween the extent of oceans and continents,
and then these are mixed up in most
manner. A traveller by either
land or water could visit almost every
quarter Of the planet without leaving che
element in which he began his journey
ings If he chooses to 90 By water he
could journey for upward Of 10000 miles,
always in sight CT land, generally with
land in view on both sides, in such intri-
cate labyrinthine fashion are the lands
and seas of Mars intertwined