Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-11-01
THE PLANET MARS.
Some Recent Observations of the Earth s Seightor--Fro rofessor KeeIeT's
 Discovery.
Pittsbnrr commercial Gazette.

Pittsburg Commercial Gazette.
 Recent observations of the planet Mars have been made by various astronomers, and their reports have attracted much at tention. Prof. Brashear, of Allegheny, was shown some of the reports and ques- toned concerning his own observations. He said:
 My observations of that planet extend over a number of years, the best having been made in the opposition of 1877, the year ill which the two minute satellites of that planet were discovered. During that year the snow cap of Mars was re- markedly distinct at times and actually seemed to protude from the planets disc. But this was evidently caused by irradiation. During the past summer l have made a number of observations, but they have been merely for the purpose Of testing the accuracy of the instruments we were making. Upon one occasion an S-inch telescope was used, and the mark ings upon Mars were found to be remark ! ably distinct.
 1.-Two or three of the large so-caled ca nals of Schiapareli were seen, while the ! denser marking, such as Secche continent, Maedler continent, Maraldl sea and others of the more prominent markings | l standing the southern declination of the planet and general outline of the seas ] and continents and the polarized cap was finer than I have ever had the pleasure 1 of seeing them. There IS no doubt how
 ever, that in the beautiful sky of Italy i Schiaparelli has seen more details upon 1 the planet than any other observer.
 "Our own MT. Keeler, of the Lick Ob- servatory, has recently made some draw
 ings of this planet that rival those oi ! Green, and given some details as seen by
 the Lick refractOr, not seen at all by
 Green or Schiapareli MT. Keeler Is not
 only the most accurate observer, but he
 is known as one of the most accurate de
 lineators of celestial phenomena.
 "{n a beautiful drawing of this plane
 sent to me recently by him, made from al
 observation on the evening of the 9th O
 June last. the main continents came ou
 with great sharpness, and quite a numbe
 of Schiaparelli's so-called canals are readi
 ly seen. The most remarkable thing
 upon the drawing of MT Keeler are twt
 projections upon the northwestern termi
 nator of the planet These are two brigh
 spots never before seen by observers S
 far as I can learn These indicate eleva
 tions of twenty-five miles, and althougl
 doubt has been thrown upon the obse1
 vatiOn and 1t IS thought that the neigh
 of these bright spots IS increased by il
 radiation, there is little doubt in my min
 that MT. Keeler put them down just a
 he saw them. In a reply to a recent lei , ter Mir. Keeler tells me that he not onl observed these upon the terminator, bu
 that he watched them for hours aftel ward as they passed in upon the body ( IL --l -A1 IL LII
 "The polar caps of Mars always appes white, and there Is almost conclusiy | evidence that they are either ice or snoy p because they are seen to diminish durin ; the long summer of Mars, which is twiC l as long as ours, and to increase durin the winter of the planet and reach almo ; to a latitude coinciding with the lat 5 tude of New York on the earth. As lon = ago as 1845, Mitchell, at the Cincinna 70 Observatory, noticed dark spot in tf 9 very center of the snow zone. He sa t this on the night of the 12th of July, an @ he records that on the following evenin t not trace of the dark spot could be see l and it has never afterward been visible. l Certain 1t is that Mars is one of u t most interesting planets to the astronc |, mers, but 1t Is only about once in fiftet e years that the best observations can q made. While the planet has been qui e close to Us this year, it's low southern q clination has prevented good observ a tions in this latitude. But in 1892 u T planet will be as well situated, or ve - nearly so, as it was in 1877, when, l
 doubt, much will be learned of the phy = ical characteristics of our neighboring S t tellite There is no doubt in my mil f that it has an atmosphere; that it has " r ter as well as land upon its surface: hen Q t follows that it has vapor and cloud !: for observers have seen continents appe 9 and disappear. which can only be 8 l counted for by their being covered l times by great cloud masses"
 t: "Do you think that Mars is inhabite l Professors" asked the reporter.
 V Well, that Is difficult to tell. 1 am e the npinin4,-+Aat every wc..1 tliuU II s passed throuri,s the stages of our own h
 had dwellers upon it like those upon O : earth, and as it is evidently an old l. planet than ours, who knows but that V has better astronomers, finer telescop Q and a purer atmosphere ir which to c
 serve than we have and that they alrea a know more about our earth in that f n off world than we shall ever know . tbam9n