The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-06-23
THE SECRETS OF SPACE.
TIE MOST WONDERFUL OF all THE
ASTRONOMERS DISCOVERIES.
The Marvels of the Spectroseope-The
Inhabitants of the Planet tMars-Jupi-
ter Fluid Mass, Seething with Pri-
meval Fires-Life Throughout III e
Uniyerse.

rising lights of British science, who is espe-
cially distinguished for astronomical learning,
has just published in London most interest
ing work, under the title of "Other Worlds
than Ours" far more entertaining than any
modern novel, In which the question of the
plurality of worlds is studied under the light
of the most recent scientific researches The
conclusion arrived at is that several of the
planets of our system are obviously adapted to
be the habitation of intelligent beings like
man, and are probably inhabited and peopled
much like this earth.
In arriving at this conclusion, Mr.. Proctor
propounds Views which differ from those usu-
ally accepted, but all his theories are based on
careful consideration and accurate statement
of acknowledged facts, and are apparently the
result of fair and candid reasoning. Since the
great discussion Of the same subject thirty
yances have been made in astronomical knowl-
edge, and especially within the last few years.
STARTLING DISCOVERIES
have been mac s In the most unexpected quar-.
tiers. Analogles the most interesting have
brought the distant orbs of heaven into close
relationship with our own earth, or with the
central luminary Of the planetary scheme, anG
we have learned to recognize within the solar
system, and within the wondrous galaxy of
which our sun Is q constituent orb, variety OF
structure, and compleXity of detail, of which,
until recently, astronomers had formed but
the most inadequate conceptions. Mr.. Proc
tor argues from the analogy of the earth that
the diversity Of climate which exists on the
planets affords no logical reason to conclude
that they are destitute of life. en- our own
globe we find
LIFE EVERYWHERE,
in the arctic regions as well as in the torrid
zone, on the mountain summit, and even In
the depths OF mid-Ocean. And geology shows
that In all the strange vicissitudes to which
the earth has been exposed in its past history,
there Is no evidence Of an epoch when life was
abSlNt from her surface. The climatic condi-
tions of the planets may be so modified by at
mospheres as to be not materially different
the planets nearest to us-Venus and Mars.
VENUS
bears, in some respects, striking resem-
blance to our earth. In size, In situation, and
In density, In the length of her seasons and oi
her rotation, in the figure of her orbit and In
the amount of light and heat she receives from
the SUD, she Is more like the earth than any
orb within the solar system. Venus has O
year of 224 days and II hours, and her dis
lance from the sun is somewhat less than
three-fourths of ours. Her day Is only half an
hour shorter than ours. Her size is but little
less than that of the earth. 1t is clear, then,
that merely in the greater proximity OF Venus
to the sun, there is little to render at least the
larger proportion of her surface unlnhabitable
to
SUCH BEINGS AS EXIST ON THE EARTH.
The sun, as seen in her skies, has diameter
one-thlrd larger than he presents to us, and
his apparent surface dimensions, on which, OF
course, his heating and Illuminating powers
depend, are greater In the proportion OF ABOUT
sixteen to nine. This undoubtedly would rem:
der his heat almost unbearable in the equato-
rial regions of Venus, but in her temperate and
sub-arctic regions moderate climate might
exist, and still more moderate In her polar re-
gions. Venus 1s the only planet the extent OF
whose atmosphere has been carefully estima-
ted. 1t is considerably larger than ours, and
probably tempers very much the ferceness OF
the solar heat OF the constitution Of her at
mosphere we knew little. The spectrum OF
her light showgthe dark lines which belong to
the solar spectrum, and the Padre 6ecchi has
noticed certain faint lines which seem to indi-
cate the presence of aqueous vapor In the at
mosphere of the planet. The same eminent
observer finds also In the strengthening Of the
nitrogen lines near the line of the spectrum,
other evidence that the atmosphere Of Venus
is constituted very Similarly to
THE AIR WE BREATHE.
On the whole, says Mr.. Proctor, the evidence
we have points very strongly to Venus as the
abode of living creatures not unlike the inhab-
itants Of earth. "Certainly, the strong light
which the sun pours upon Venus need least OF
all be objected to, since, II there is one adap-
tative power which Nature exhibits more clear
ly than another, 1t is that by which the various
creatures we araacquainted with are enabled
to live in comfort under all degrees of light,
from the obscurity In which the mole pursues
his subterranean researches to the blazing
light of the MONDAY sun, toward which, In
fable If not in fact, the eagle turns his un-
shrinking eyes,"
PECULIARITIES OF MARS.
The evidence in favor Of Mars being inhabi-
ted Is much stronger than that In the case Of
Venus, or indeed OF any other planetary orb
Mars is about 5000 miles in diameter, 30 that
his linear dimensions bear to those of the
earth the proportions of about five to eight
Gravity at his surface Is much less than terres-
trial gravity, SO that the weight of objects OF
the same mass in Mars Is much less than half
what it Is here, and consequently there would
be far greater range of activity for creatures
Of the same size; that falls would be less dan
gerous; the strain on walls, or columns. or
any other supports would be much less, and,
therefore, roofs, arches and structures Of that
kind might be easily set up on much larger
scale by creatures of equal skill with our
selves; but, on the other hand, friction, which
is more or less proportional to pressure, and
therefore, In the case ofpies of stones, &C., to
weight, would be far less than on the surface
nff rfh hot nj off