The Arizona sentinel., 1888-11-10

The planet has an atmosphere, by
early observers supposed to be vsry
extensive, but now known to be much
more tenuous than our own. AS con-
sequence of this tenuity or thinness,
atmospheric pressure there would be
| between One-seventh and one-eighth OF
ours, and the Martian air would be less
| compressed about the surface of the
planet, as its smaller mass and diane
| ter would alter most materially the
action of gravity upon it. Calculation
in this is confirmed by observation, for
we see the features of the planet far
more distinctly than we would see the
oceans of earth through an air laden
with dust and vapor such as that of our
world. Moreover, in the Martian air
there is water-vapor, which most evil
IDENTIFY arise from some watery expanse
on the surface; and so, very naturally,
astronomers regard the blue markings
as oceans, and the brilliant white spots
as ice or snow. Two of the most dis
tinct coincide with the North and South
poles, and can, therefore, scarcely be
regarded otherwise than as polar ac-
cumulations of these chilly materials.
There is a general consensus of opin-
ion among observers that this is the
case. Oceans and continents imply
rivers AMI lakes; snow implies rain
co hof 10 1rf1 of
Mars we would be at home, so far
as these surroundings of our life are
concerned. We should, however, if
Scotch, lack the clouds to which we
are so accustomed, for the Martian air
is singularly clear, and apparently calm
also.
The Martian day is almost the same
in length as our own; and it may pro-
woke perhaps some incredulity when
we state that its length is known to
within orae-fftieM Of second, such ac-
curacy have astronomers tlme-meas-
ures attained. 1t is given by the latest
authority as "a hours, 81 minutes 22.-
735 seconds. The Martians must, then,
dine and sleep pretty much as we do.
But their sowing and reaping will be
very different. Mars has an orbit much
larger than ours to traverse in COM
pleting its year, and goes only at the
moderate mean speed of 1000 miles
per hour, as against the Earths 60,
600. The year there will therefore be
nearly twice as long as ours. This our
readers may note as one very great
distance. For the laws of vegetable,
and probably of animal, life must be
strikingly different in the ruddy planet
from those ruling on earth. Vegetable
growth is probably much slower, and
changes dependent on the seasons all
less violent than with us. | fact, as
we consider the matter more minutely,
we see that, while there is what may
be styled an elementary resemblance
between Mars and the Earth, life on
the one will differ greatly from life on
the other. The long year, with its
slow changes of temperature, will
moderate the causes of aerial disturb
ances, and these causes will operate
in an atmosphere very much less
dense. The storms and breezes
will thus be literally much lighter than
with us. Yet so far this will be bal
anced by the generally Trailer struct-
ure of plants and animals. Our trees
are strong because they have to sus-
tain the weight of their outrageous
heads, as well as resist the impact of
our denser air as it sweeps over them
in the storms of winter With a weight
of material only one-seventh, the Mar
tian trees and plants are probably less
firm in structure, and so are propor-
toned in strength to the feebler Mar
tian winds.
1t may also be thought that the Mar
tian sailors, if there be such, will have
less speedy voyages than ours. The
resistance to a vessels motion depends,
of course, on the density and structure
of water, which do not depend on
gravity. So that with a lighter wind
to fill his sails the Martian will have
as dense a fluid beneath his vessel.
But here the same kind of compensa-
tion comes in. His ship will only
weigh one-half as much as one of ours,
even if made of the same material.
But for his purposes far less strength
will suffice, and, as we have seen, if he
builds of wood, he will get light ma
terial to his hand. His vessel will lit
orally "skim the SEAS" and will find
ample power in the feeble breeze. The
tenuity of the Martian air will also
trouble housewives. Their pots, if not
closed steam-tight, will boil when the
water is almost certainly
at a temperature far below what We
find necessary for cooking purposes.
We have already remarked on the
long Martian seasons. Owing to the
fact that the planets path takes it
much nearer the sun in one part than
in another, these seasons are curiously
unequal. This inequality conspicu-
Ously favors the northern hemisphere.
In fact, the summer half of the year
there is three hundred and seventy
two days in length, while to the win
ter half is only given two hundred and
Exactly the reverse is the
case in the southern hemisphere, the
winter there being long and the sum-
mer short. Yet on such small globe
it will be easy for the inhabitants to
change their hemisphere according to
taste, and by travelling, to enjoy any
of the seasons they like in continual