The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-12-23
SCIENCE.
or.NET MARS DYING IT is APPROACHIN,
TIE CONDITION OF THE MOON.

o,xvT MARS DYING 1T IS APPROACHING
TIE CONDITION OF THE MOON.
Prof. W. II. Picker ng, of Harvard
College. thinks that the planet Mars is
diving. For 50 nething like a year he has
been Odev5ting a great portion o: his time
70 observations OF the planet Mars. Prof.
Pickering used in his observation the 12-
inch telescope, which ssoon to be mounted
At the Arequ pa station Of the Harvard
Observatory, and he made most determ-
med efJr s t. add to u knowledge of
the most interesting member o: the plane
tary system.
1T is all a hypothesis after ALL" he
aid to a New York Herald correspond
ant, " There is no definite proof. We
know that there are great patches of white
in the polar regions OF the planet and that
thew increase IN winter and diminish in
summer. This fact is abundantly con-
frned by photographs taken by the Har-
yard College astronomers at our station
on Mount Wilson in southern California.
On the night of the 10th of April we took
an obseI vation and on the succeeding
night another one. On the second occa-
sion we found that the white space in the
southern hemisphere had increased during
the a hours by an srea nearly as large
as the United States. So you see if this
white appearance is due to snow there
must have been a tremendous storm in
southern Mars on the 10th of April"
Prof. Picker ny remarked in answer to
auuestiOn ABOUT the southern hemisphere
that the southern half of the planet was
far more Interesting. 1t is in that section
that the dark pla ,e5 are located which are
supposed to be water. The planet, in his
opinion, being older than the earth as well
Hmaller has passed the s age in which
the earth now is aud il approaching the
condition Of the mOor-in ether words
is dying. It's qua orial region is alrea iy
practically a desert, and If there be any
life on Mars it is / the southern hemis.
phere.
The appeIlation canal" given by
Schiaparel to ne marks upon the planet
surface is, II Prof. chickering's view, {
misnomer. He succeeded this summer in
seeing several of them, although it was
only after a months steady training of his
eye and regulating of the power of his
instruments that he was able to dist D.
guiSh any. He is inclined to think thai
the number Of these lines may have been
0Verstated, but at ali events he does not
believe they certain any water. He has
failed with the telescope to discover any
traces Of watery v4por in the canals, .
though it would be possible to discover it II
It exists. Neither does he believe that
these canals" have changed in form, as
claimed.
In the course Of the CO.. v~ersation the
professor said that the general color of
the planet was dark red On one night
It appeared darker than before, but not
IS dark red as New Jersey mud, with
Whch he had compared it.
Prof Holden, director Of the Lick o.
serVatory, says, among other things in q
telegram to the HeruId:: a think it
very important to emphasize the fact tina.
no one knows anything whatever ab )ut
me actual ext tence or non existence OF
NE On the planets. The best that can be
eOne Is 10 inquire as % their conditions
LOT instability. Even here the most
earnest efforts Of the best observers with
ne best telescopes have accomplished
Verylittle.