Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-12-20
LIFE ON THE PLANETS.
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says: Thirty years ago the question Of
the habitabllity Of the planets was
widely, and, in some instances intem-
perately discussed. Several volumes
were written, pro and con, the writer's
mostly seeming to think that they had
direct commission from on high to
settle their opponents; which things
they proceeded then and there to do
And both sides about equally forgot or
disregarded the facts, and, with great
heat argued on general principles.
An article in the June number Of
the PopUldr Science MoHthiy entitled,
"The Cost of Life" and which was in
part criticised in late number Of the
Messenger is kind Of renewal of the
useless debate, and is clothed in logic
equally conclusive as was that Of the
original controversy, The points
given lately touching the weight of a
man on Jupiter and on Mars were in
tended as part of the proof that those
planets are not habitablc. 70 pass in
review all the points Of error would
require an article of too great length
for the pages of this journal: so shall
coniinc myself pretty closely 10 a few
OF the more prominent ones.
The same author, speaking Of Mer-
curry, says: with temperature of
boiling water in the frgid zones, and
red-hot iron at the equator" etc. -
therefore there can he no life on the
planet. But there is no proof Of any
such temperature. and in the nature Of
the case there can be none. Where
fore the conclusions are Of no force
The error consists in virtually assum-
ing that the climate Of place depends
solely on its distance from the sun
whereas this is only one Of hundred
causes.
II IS weil-known that even in the
torrid zone, at an elevation Of about
three and one-half miles. snoY does
not melt; that century after century
eternal SHOWS whitcn lofty peaks in
all attitudes
The temperature Of place on the
earth's surface depends on many inGu-
ences, any one or several OF which may
be greatly modified or annullcd hy the
other; so that there is no general rule
for climate
As part Of the multitude of things
10 be- taken into consideration. as touch
ing the matter in hand. we may name
these, viz: The latitude. the elevation
above the -ca-lcycl, the ocean currents.
the direction Of the prevailing winds.
the presence and trend of mountain
ranges, the amount II yappr usual in
the atmosphere, the degree of cloudi.
ness, the quantity of rain and snowfall.
tn" size Of the body Of land. the amount
of land in close proximity and It's sur.
roundings, the nature OF the soil. the
amount and kind of vegetation. the
density and hight Of the atmosphere.
the length Of the day, the ohliquity Of
the suns rays, ami the thousand and
one other things which 90 to make up
the whole temperature and climate. OF
the greater part Of these-indecl Of
almost every one of them As exhibited
on other planets. it is absolutely i'm
possible to know anything at all: and
a. matter Of course. no one can speak
intclligcntly Of the climate on any
planet except our own But should all
thcsd items beknown, the further qucs.
ton arises whether II is not possible
that animated beings could live in an
environment totally unlike that which
surrounds US. The conclusion of the
whole matter. so far as astronomy and
physics can row tell, Is this: That the
four large outer planets have not suG-
Ciently cooled down to allow life on
their surface. such "a we see on the
earth; that Mars gives all telescope
and stereoscopic probabilities of cond-
tions compatible with life as we see it.
that the earth certainly for millions Of
years has been covered with multifari-
Gus lifc that Of Venus and Mercury
we have no certain knowledge; and
that the satellites are pretty certainly
not fitted for such life as is on the
earth; that, in particular, our moon
has no water and no atmosphere, con-
sequently no climate or vegetable life.
If the sun and the planets continually
lose heat, then there will come a time
In the far future when the sun itself
shall go out in everlasting night. and
the eternal snow" would be hot com
pared with the degree of cold throuuh