The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-22

| beautiful nianet, III WHICH 81 HiBh uoSi0'
OF interest has been awakened by SCHIAPA
EFLLI's wonderful discoveries can be seer
Just In the south between and 10 o'clock
IL appears in the constellation Scorpio
sometimes Of rich yellow or orange
color, and sometimes decidedly red. The
various cond ons Of the atmosphere and
the differences in the eyes OF observers all
have their part in determining the de-
srriptton OF Its color Not far away among
the stars that are now grouped about the
planet Of war is Antares, one OF the first
magnitude, whose name some think was
given to II on account OF Its resemblance to
Mars In color. To most eyes Antares will
probably appear OF deeper and livelier red
than Mars. 1t Ia interesting to observe how
completely the planet eclipses In splendor 30
| bright O star as Antares. 1t may also In
terest the reader to know that while tho
distance OF Mars from the earth is now some
| fifty millions OF miles. that OF Antares is SO
| great that astronomers have not succeeded
| in measuring it. They are only able to say
| that it cannot be less than fifty million
| times as far away as Mars ls. There Is
nothing more certain than that II that red
star which appears so faint by comparison
with the ruddy planet, were suddenly
brought up to the place that Mars occupies.
night would vanish in an incomparably
grander sunrise than this terrestrial ball
has ever witnessed. In truth, 1t is more
than probable that In the fiery blaze Of the
monster sun. thus brought so near. all ilv-
ing things would be destroyed upon the
earth. The oceans would boil away In vapor,
and the very ground would smoke. Yet at
It's actual distance Antares appears to us to
pale in the presence OF the reflected light Of
planet much smaller than the earth.
Some highly interesting and significant re-
suits have recently been obtained by photo
graphing Mars. A series OF photographs
made in April by Mr.. WILSON, and briefly dc
scrlbed by Prof PICKERING In the Sideredl
Messenger, suggest the possibility that the
southern temperate regions OF Mars have
just experienced an Eruption OF polar Ice no
less remarkable than that which still adds
the zest OF danger to the navigation Of our
own North Atlantic. That our readers may
know just what the observed phenomena
are, we reproduce Prof PIcKERINGs descrip-
ton OF the photographs:
"seven views were taken April g. between 22h. Sem
and 2,h. Aim. Greenwich mean time Seven moro
taken April 10. between 23h com and 23h. 32n Thus
tho face OF the planet u both
Distinct and identIfabie spots and markings well
shown IN all the pictures but in those taken tho
latter date considerable accession is shown to tho
white spot surrounding the south pole. 1t has been
known for thar the size OF these polar spots
gradually from time to time, apparently diminishing in
the summer and increasing in the winter OF their
epoctye Lenspheres But believe that this the
tue that the precise date and approximate extent OF
OF these accessons has been observed. The area
which n
time in longitude 7Uo along parallel SDs to onRi
tude liOe thence longitude 1882 latitude thence
TO the limb which was in latitude $50 and the 1929
meridian and thence back TO the point OF starting It
may thus extend also unknown area on what
at the time the invisible hemisphere of tho planet
Tho visible area included Is surprisingly large amount
Ing to about 23Ooo'o square miles somewhat less
than the Of the United staeS Being the limb
however 1t not conspicuous might frs sight
DO supposed.
"On tho morning OF April 9 the area was family
marked out as porvaded by haze by small separated
bodies, too small and far apart or TOO faint to be
recognized individually. But on April 10 the whole
region was brilliant fully eQuAlIng that surrounding
the north pole. In the time much smaller area
on the limb which tho 9Th very bright, had
either vanished or Joined tho main mass by moving
eastWA rdly. considering Mars as globe.
The date Of these events corresponds to the end OF
tho winter the southern hemisphere OF Mara
or what would be with about the middle OF February
AS to what these observations mean might most |
naturally BIO explained by terrestrial Anaoges but DO
that as II may the facts that these are
conspicuous upon each of the fourteen photographs
and 50 distinctly SO that who had once seen |
them would hesitate instant In deciding on which
day any particular plate was taken"
1t Is quite clear that the appearances pre-
sented in the photographs as described by |
Prof. PICKERING might be produced by the |
drifting OF vast Ice fields from the southern |
polar regions Of Mars In the direction OF the |
1t seems practically impossible, |
however, that the drifting Ice could cover 80 |
immense an area In the course OF a single |
day, and little reflection shows that 1t Is |
not necessary to assume so rapid spread OF
the Ice. 1t will be observed that, as shown by
the photograph taken on April 8. 1.-The region In
question presented a hazy or perhaps mot
tied appearance. The next day this had all
changed to brilliant white. The phenome-
non OF the first day may not improbably
have been due to the presence OF Ice fields OF
great extent that had gradually accumu-
lated under the influence OF polar currents
resembling the Labrador current that brings
down our iCebcrgs. The fogs and mists that
commonly hang over large fields OF Ice that
have drfted into warmer ATTITUDES would
assist in producing the hazy appearance re-
'orded by the photograph. Then an In
How OF warm moist air from the southwark
Iver the ice fields would suffice To account
or the sudden blanching Of the whole region
he next day through the formation of a
vast sheet of cl"ud such az not inireGuent-
y under somewhat similar circumstances,
covers rXt"hsr" areas on the earth. II ia
we'll known that thcupper surfaces OF clouds
effect ia" sun hne as brilliantly az new
allen snow 1t is pity that photographs
we're not taken for several days in success
lion, in order that it might have been deter
mined whether tie white area underwent
uch changesas would indicate that clouds
we're prlnclnal raTse II the phenomenon.
On looking al II map Of Mars IL will he
cen that such u waterway as would be
leeded to convey vast quantities Of ice from
he south polar region into temperate lati-
udes exists OH that planet just at the place
where the strange phenomena described
we're observed. The drifting leo, If such
here was. must have covered the larger