Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-11-19

and it may even descend TO 100000, be-
cause neither Mars nor the earth follows
perfect circumference, their distances from
the sun increasing or diminishing accord
ing to the periods.
That which most strikes the observer In
the examination of tho planet Is this, that
the poles are marked like those of the earth
by two white zones, two caps of snow.
The north pole and the south pole are even
at times so brilliant that they seem TO ex-
tend beyond the edge Of the planet, follow
ing that effect of irradation which renders
white circle larger 10 our eyes than black
circle of the same dimensions. The ices
vary in extent; they heap themselves in
piles and extend around each pole during
the winter, while in the summer they melt
and retire. In their totality they extend
farther than do ours, and sometimes de-
scend TO the forty-fillh degree Of latitude,
or as far as those regions which correspond
to the situation of France on the earth.
The first aspect of the planet makes 1t
seem analogous to ours as regards the di-
vision Of its climates into frigid, temperate
and torrid zones. The examination of its
lOlbEldDng bhOm9 ho pA AhN NNHh'H'Jt
sufficiently characteristic dissimilarity be-
tween lis confguration and that Of our
globe.
In fact there are more seas than lands on
the earth. Three quarters Of the globe are
covered with water. Terra iirma is COM
posed principally of three vast Islands
three continents, one extending from the
west to the east, and forming Europe and
Asia the second placed TO the south of Eu-
rope, and forming Africa; the third stretch
ing on the other side of the globe, from
above to below, from the north to the south,
and forming the great territories of Amer
lea. If The small continent of Australia,
situated south of Asia, be added, VIC have
the confguration of the globe.
1t Is not the same with the surface Of
Mas, Notwithstanding the comparisons
which astronomers have often sought to ap-
| ply TO It's continental and oceanic divisions.
| The wafer does not cover three fourths of
| Mars. There are more lands than seas
there, and, instead of being islands emerg-
| ed from the bosom OF the liquid element,
continents seem rather 10 reduce the oceans
to simple interior seas, yeritable Mediler-
raneans. There is there no Atlantic or Pa
cific, aud the tour of Mars mis- ht almost be
made on dry land. The seas are Mediter-
raneans, cut up into various gulis, proloug-
ed here and there in a great number Of
arms, stretching, like our Red Sea, across
| terra firma such is the principal feature of
the geography of Mars.
| Another feature which also would suffice
| for the recognition of Mars from long dis
| tance is this, that the seas are extended in
| the southern hemisphere, between the equa-
| tor aud the pole on one side; on another
| side they extend to less extent in the
northern hemisphere. Further, these south
| ern and northern seas are united by these
arms OF the sea tending from the south to
| the north.
The continents OF Mars are tinted of
red ochre hue, and its seas present them
selves 10 our gaze under the aspects Of spots
Of a gray green, deepened by an effect Of
| contrast due TO the color of the continents.
The cooration of Mars Is not due to its
atmosphere, for, although the veil extends
| over the whole planet, neither its seas nor
| its polar SHOWS yield 10 the influence of
| lulS NOlOIullOus hOItONtIs lut VI
| the planet are less colored than the CEN
ire of the disk-a result which would not
| be If this coloration was due to the atmos-
| phere.
May not this characteristic color Of Mars,
visible TO the naked eye, and which doubt
| less is the cause of the warlike individual
| iiy which the ancieuts conferred on this
| planet, be due to the color OF the herbage
and Of the vegetables which must cover its
champaigns? Are there red prairies, red
forests, red fields there? Are our silent
woods with their soft shadows replaced
with trees bearing rubicund foliage, and
are our wild red poppies the emblem OF the
botany OF Mars?
1t may be remarked, in fact, that an OBJ
server placed ON the moon, or even on We
| nus, would see our continents strongly
tinted with the grcenish shade. But in au-
tumn he would see this shade vanish in the
latitudes where the trees Lose their leaves /;
he would see the fields vary in shades to a
golden yellow, and then the snow would
cover the ground for months al time. On
Mars the coloraton is constant, and ii is
observed in all its latitudes, during their
winter as well as during their summer. II
varies only according to the transparency
of its atmosphere aud of ours. This, how
ever, is no reason why the vegetation oi
Mars should not be the principal cause Of
this general shade. The plains cannot bt
denuded everywhere like the sands of Sa'
hara. They are probably covered with s
vegetation of somo kind, and as it is moi
the interior of the soil that we see, but lis
surface, il must follow that the covering ol
this soil, the vegetation, whatever it be
has red for its chief color, since all the lands
of Mars offer this curious aspect.
The wcnderful operations of the spectre
scope have been applied to the study OF tho
planets, principally by the learned Englisl
physicist IIuggins. The planets reflect thu
light which they receive from the sun
When the spectrum of their light is exam
ined, the solar spectrum is found as though
il were reflected in Il mirror.
On directing the spectroscope TO Mars
there was noticed, in the first place, in The
rays emitted by this planet, perfect iden
tity with those which emanate from III
central orb of our system. But, in max
ing use of more minute methods, Mr.. Hug
gins found, during tho last oppositons q
the planet, that the spectrum of Mars
) crossed in the orange zone by group G
black rays coinciding with the lines whic
appear in the solar spectrum at the settin
/ of the sun, when the light of that lumlna
A ry crosses the densest layers Of our atmos
phere, and thus verified The eristence Of tUo
ter in The atmosphere Of Mars as water eS
lists in ours.
: The green spots of that globe are indee