Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-17

hected lga, q the fun. Tint Is is composed. Ike
the globe on which We dwell % continents and
seas, that IL Is surrounded by an atnosphere
In which q spectral ANALYSIS reveals the
presence OF watery vapor; that its years are
twice Is long as ours; tina; its SCISSORS are u
about the same intensity as ours bat twice A.
long; that its poles arr covered wiih snow dur
ing The winter and almost entirely free from q
during the summer aud that f,s climate closely
resembles that 81 the earsh-in q word. tina,
ths Other world appears 20 be hahstable. just
n ours il.
CURIOUS Dfsc0vHRfFs
he last lerihelic appearance ef Mars in 1877
resulted in curious discoveries. and since then
the progress Of discovery has rs,lidly increased.
Al the observatory at Milan Prof Sohisparelh
succeeded IN making . Topographic tTiAnguia-
uon OF map Of Mars with n precision almost
equal 60 that OF terrestrial rnAps He die
covered the famous canals which we're at first
the object Of 30 much natural scepacinua. but
whose existence hhs been confirmed by obser-
walton
OBSERVED EVERY psY.
Mars naturally occupies he foremost place In
the work Of the observatory Mt Ju,irv. aad
sinoe the beginning Of NAV no: dAy has
elapsed without the planet being Observed and
Tracing made ITS ausiral declaration. how
ever, has kept Ii a VERY little above our horizon
and " has not been able TO di-enpace ITSELF from
the io~ lying mists. Nevertheless. we obtailscd
resoits which are not wanting in interest
POLAR SHOWS.
First, with regard to polar SHOWS II Is no
longer possible 20 doubt that the white .po,. M
the poles are due TO snow which Accumula,-s
during winter and melts under the raw. @, the
summer sun. Doubtless this snow and this
water may differ in some chemical prou,rtio.
from terrestrial water but IL is analogous m AZ
md fraF
more rarefed than ours and higher. The
barometer Is ALWAYS At 8 low point and evApor-
alton IL easier. The SHOWS are less dense and
the ice softer and melts more easily But there
remains a great analogy between them. The
astronomical observation and the spectral analy-
Sit combine 20 show Us there il real water like
but not identical with ours.
THIS YEARS CHARACTERISTIC.
The most characteristic fact this wear relat-
ing TO the higher astral polar SHOWS now
turned toward us. with an inclination of Il de-
grees IN May, l6 degrees in June. Il degrees in
July and IL degrees in August, has been their
rapid waste under beat 81 fusion The sum
mer sun Of the astral hemisphere Of Mars had
It's spring equinox on May 20 and will not have
Its summer solstice till October IS next Never
theless the astral polar snow has already
diminished by three-iourths. and should this
rate OF progression continue the polar snow of
Mars viii have almost entirely melted by the
summer solstice, thing not hitherto seen.
May there not have been in Mars with .
summer without rain?
sAYINGs OF An IGNoRAMrs
short and altogether senseless paragraph
concocted by an ignoramus has recently ap-
peared in the newspaper, stating that the oh
servations now being made Of Mar have not
shown enigmatic lines 60 which the name Of
canal has been given, and that these alleged for
nations are only fsds of an Italian astronomer
IL Is a pity such gross idiotic observations,
which display want even Of common courtesy
toward one Of the most eminent astrono-
mers of modern times, should have been
laid before some millions Of readers.
The truth is the exact opposite. In spite of the
low position Of the planet with regard 20 our
horizon and the consequent difficulty of making
observations a certain number Of these car,aie
have been clearly defined even at the observa.
tory OF Juvisy, whose equatorial is OF very
moderate dimensions mot over 1881, but hose
observer are Jealous, ardent lsborers.
THE DIAMETER OF MARS
1 have been especially occupied measuring
the diameter Of Mars and OF his snow caps The
diameter OF Mars I have acertained TO be
minutes SO seconds. instead of II minutes 10
seconds. the measurement adopted BY lie
Nerrier. We learn that the canals those NJ
ready named or others. have been seen bv other
observers, notably through the enormous aud
magnificent equatorial at Mount Hamilton
CANALS OR RIVERS.
Astronomers are not agreed TO the nature
OF these strange formations. That the conti-
nents Of Mars are crossed bya network Of
lines often perfectly straight and OF geoule.rica
aspect il undoubted by all who have studied
the question, but il IL dlfhcult b. decide what
is the origin Of these tracings. Many Of the
principal ones seem 20 be those Of former
rivers Nevertheless they are not real rivers,
because they do not have their origin in land,
hut run direct from one sea 20 another. and,
further, because tney cross each other.
This leads 10 the conclusion that they are
water courses ON the same level between fat
ground. Now. il has been found that the effects
OF time on the areographic surfaces Of conti-
menus MARS IL older than the earth j. 90
hatten them in, IL is probable. four OF Ave
millions OF years. Hence AL land on the earth
will be leveled.
SUPERSTITION.
On the other hand, it is probable they are
water courses, because they are Of the same
color as the seas Of Mars and because they COM
municate with seas and because they change in
width and even position Are they for that
reason full OF water? Certainly there j. moth
ing to prove it, Is their vegetation tendor2
Perhaps 20. Science does not forbid the sup
position that the inhabitants Of Mars are able
70 change the courses Of old rivers with view
OF making 9 general distribution Of wnter
already become scarce. but in places
threatening the surface OF continents
natteneds by the wear and tear Of
ages. This is one hypothesis. and 1t
IL not opposed to science and the geometric and
Intentional appearance of this network OF
lines warrants It. IL is TO be feared t will never
be possible to explain the canals of Mars by
leaving out Of sight the possibility OF an denti-
col rec ihcstion Of the water courses any more
than the astronomers Of VEINS could explain
our railway systems il they persisted in refusing
10 admit any other influences affecting the sur
facs Of the earth than the blind forces Of ma
ture.
IT NIGHT RE.
We cannot say this is, we can only say thu
might be. and should any better explanation Of
things that have been obseryed on Mars be
forthcoming we are quite prepared to accept il
- being only provisional until a better appears.
Ii is beyond doubt. it has been Observed. that
at certain seasons the canals have been seen
doubled. formed Of two parallel lines THIS
extraordinary phenomenon was first observed
in 1881 1t viii probably not he seen this wear,
because il only occurs in the spring and autumn
Of Mars-that IL 20 say. IN the equinoxes- and
not in the summer, and because the inhabitants
Of Mara are approaching their solstice.
DIyY1cuIr TO EXPLAIN.
But whether they may be seen or not thu
year they exist II IL more difficult 10 explain
them than even the canals. May thev not be