The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-14
THE RED LIGHT OF MARS. WHAT
CAUSES IT?
To the Editor Of the Eagle


times have aroused great interest in all
facts pertaining to this member of our
planetary system. 1t approximates more
nearly than any other to the conditions
existing upon our earth. We know that
it has an atmosphere; that large bodies
of water exist on its surface; that clouds
exist at times in its atmosphere and that
its polar regions are perpetually covered
with snow or ice.
In view of these facts we must neces-
sarily conclude that the processes of
evaporation and precipitation take place
as with US. the inclination of its axis to
the plane of its orbit must cause sue
cession of seasons; in size, density, time
of its diurnal revolution and distance
from the sun It resembles our own earth
in geater or less degree. We reason
ably infer from this that some conditions
of life similar to our own exist there.
One distinguishing popularity Of this
planet is its reddish color; it is of this
feature that l desire particularly to
speak. We all know that the planets
emit no light of their own; they simply
reflect the light of the sun. This being
the case any modification of this light
when reflected from any one Of these
p'anets must be caused by some condi-
| ton existing in the atmosphere of such
planet. The light of the sun is modified
as it passes through the earth's atmos-
| phere to the extent that part of the
| blue rays are arrested while the other
rays are freely passed. These arrested
rays being reflected from the masses of
air above us cause the blue tint or color
of our skies. These same rays of light
reflected from the earth's atmosphere
would cause our planet to present
blush appearance to the inhabitants of
other worlds. As Mars appears to the
inhabitants of our world as a reddish
star SO our earth would appear
to the inhabitants of Mars, if
inhabitants it has, as blush
star. The cause in both cases must be
due 20 some existing condition in the
atmosphere of the two planets. What
cause will scientists assign for the arrest
ing of part of the blue rays and the
transmission OF the others?
Our earth has what may be termed
dilute oxygen atmosphere. Is it due to
either of its two principal elements that
this popularity exists? The presence of
carbonic acid and watery vapor in small
quantities and only in the lower regions
of our atmosphere would offer no solu-
ton.
The presence of large quantities of free
hydrogen in the upper regions Of the air
where by its specific gravity it would
naturally tend might be suggested, but
in what way could this operate 10 pro-
duce the result? There is something
further which | wish to notice. 1t is
well known philosophical fact that the
violet, indigo and blue rays of the solar
spectrum either represent or stand IN
close relation to the actinic or
chemical rays of the sunlight,
while the red rays are similarly situated
with regard to the heat rays. The &C
tinic rays are supposed to represent the
greatest potency and the heat rays the
least, as far as chemical and vital pro-
cesses are concerned. In these respects,
in point of energy and potency, they
may be called the extremes of the solar
spectrum. Now, in the passage of the
sunlight through the atmospheres OF the
earth and Mars, it undergoes partial
decomposition, the blue rays BEING, to
some extent at least, arrested IN the one
case and the red rays in the other. Why
is this so?
1t would seem that if our scientists
could give satisfactory explanation In
the first named case it might furnish us
with the means of solving the other.
Is this difference due in any measure
to the different proportions of land and
water upon the two planets? 1t is
known from observation that somewhere
about three-fourths of the whole area
of Mars consists of land and the remain
ing part of water, whereas on our own
earth we have reverse proportions. Now
we know that upon the earth the great
bodies of land are more or less sur
rounded by great bodies of water and
that CUFFS, bays, and great inland seas
exist. Upon Mars the conditions differ.
The greater part of the land there is in
one body and that body is in its
equatorial regions. But few inland seas
if any exist.
Now the water upon our globe plays a
very important part in making life
possible 1t absorbs and stores away in
the form of latent heat large proper
ton of the radiated heat of the sun. In
this way the ii h lbitants our earth are
protected from all danger which might
exist by reason of an excess of radiated
heat. Now as the greater part of the
land in Mars lies IN its equatorial region,
exposed to the direct rays of the
sun and has few or no inland bodies of
water. and compared with our own
world as but small proportion of water
exists to absorb heat and make life en-
durable, is it not possible that by some |
condition of its atmosphere the heat rays |
NAV be arrested to such an extent as to !
enable the higher forms of life to exist? /
If we accept the nebula hypothesis,a as !
true, we must then conclude that Mars |
is older than our earth, for its orbit lies |
outside of the earth's orbit and conse- |
Quently it must have been thrown off |
from the central sun prior to the throw !
ing off of the matter composing our own |
sphere. If age denotes the degree of de- |
velopment it must stand next above our |
world in progress as it is the nearest |
planet to US whose orbit is outside of our |
own. May it not be possible that the |
conditions of life upon our next /
planet Mars, may have reached /
a stage that calls for the exercise of |
higher and more potent energies and |
forces than are necessary with us? 1t |
may be that in the present state of our |
earth and its inhabitants, that much of I
the highest powers of solar energy are |
withheld by some conditions of our at |
moSphere.
These questions offer food for thought |
and investigation. If in our wild con- |
lectures concerning them, we succeed in |
suggesting some train of thought TO /
some investigating mind, which shall /
raSt,lt in increasing the stock of orr /