The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-14
AN EpRNINe WITH MARS.



| and eiven birth to 80 many untenable theories
that IL seems worth while to attempt to define
the actual facts relating to this celestial event
1t has been asserted that discoveries made
within the last few weeks prove beyond pues-
tion that Mars Is an inhabited world. 1t would
be difficult to conceive anything more inter-
esting than that II such were the actual fact,
but no discovery has yet been announced
which justifes us In asserting posi-
lively that living creatures exist upon
Mars. What can be said with truth
Is that the general appearance OF the surface
OF that planet is such as 1t ought to have II
conditions resembling those upon tho earth.
and which are ordinarily regarded as essential
to the support OF life. prevail there Moreover.
Mars Is surrounded with an airy envelope or
atmosphere. Just as the earth is.
For the purpose OF describing the appear
ance OF Mars from personal observation with
adequate means the writer after studying the
planet with the smaller instrum ents at his
command. visited the Halsted Observatory at
Princeton. where he was permitted to make
use Of the powers OF one Of the half dozen SUI
premely great telescopes Of the world.
The Princeton telescope. 1t may be remem-
bered. ranks third In the list OF the great tele-
| scopes OF this country its object glass having
clear aperture OF twenty-three inches. The
Washington telescope has three inches the
advantage OF 1t in this respect, but 1t is proba-
BILE that the effective power OF the Princeton
instrument Is quite equal to that OF its huge
rival at the Naval Observatory. 1t should be
said that the situation OF neither OF these in
| struments is specially favorable for observa-
tons Of this kind. They are too near the sea
level. like all the telescopes in the eastern
United States. where vision Is too often
obstructed by haze and clouds. In this re-
spect the giant Lick glass hos an advantage
over nearly all other telescopes. quite as great.
perhaps as that which 1t derives from it's su.
perior dimensions During the present oppo.
sition. too. Mars. being in the southern part OF
Its orbit, runs 30 ncar the horizon. like the
sun in winter. that an additional disadvantage
is encountered by tho observer.
But without paying a visit to Mount Hamll-
ton. or to the Harvard University astronomical
station In the Peruvian Andes. 1t would hardly
be possible to get a better view Of Mars than
can be obtained from Princeton. The Prince
ton telescope is constantly in use for scientific
purposes Of the highest Importance. and it
was only by the special favor of Prof. G. A.
Young and his assistant. Mr.. Taylor Reid. that
the writer obtained the privilege OF studying
Mars with 1t for one evening. That is an
evening never to be forgotten. 1t furnished
views OF q neighboring world SO stirring to
the imagination that it secmed like the OPEN
ing up Of new vista Of the universe.
NIGHTS for ohservati,n that Ind toon an;ov.a
at princeton during IN. month yot tb. ni,,h,
WAS NOT .ltopetb.r fIna The moon ;ust no a.
the ful, was hanging IN tho stv 70 th, cot
ward OF Mara and illuminotinr tbo haze IN +ha
atmosphere TO the detrim,nt NJ toles,onio
vision thunder storm passing up the valley
OF the Hudson was extending its long cirrus
streamers overhead. miles beyond the edge of
the storm. and assisting TO obscure tho skv
YET with ALI tbesa disodv,rt,r.s N. acct
look into the great telescone when with
| clancino roar NJ tba r,volving DANA a. liza
been brought to bear unon the nIanot wos
calculated to emil forth nm exclamntion a, arr
| nrise. Inrre- than the tuIl moon Mara bur,
plowin., rod in tba feld monn,t ~, o.r.f,i
focusing and tha rIarnu dist M e-ot do,
cling IN the eve was resolved into tbosa cb,,
| actaristic featurss which .atronomors h,v.
GENERALLY aproed to rerarj ns tbo visibI. sooo
and lands of another world
One of the first nbenomcna ia c,tcb tho avn
was an oblong white match Mt tina soutb noIa NJ
the planet No argument that has hean n1.
| duccd to provo that this is n snow-cov.r.d
| region scans 90 convincing os d,as its ootroI
appearance to the eve. II looks 40 mnch Iil a
what wa shonld imagine wouId ba tbe onnoor-
ance OF one of the poles OF tn, earth seen from
n distance OF millions OF miles that ono ia In.
stantlv tempt,d TO e,c,nim "Wb,t omit ~.
| but snow?"
| The edge OF this apparent snow can IN tina
north. or. in other words. on the side toward
| M,rs's eou,tor was distinctly bordored hv
| broad dark stripe which f. on. of tho ao.c,IIed
seas. the "Austral Sea" of Schiapareli. Then
further north came lighter color.d patchos
VARYING in visibility according 70 tho ranidlv
changing condition of the atmosphere: and
next another dark strin. reyoalinp itsel, mora
clearly at interval, and broken by indenta.
tions and interruptions. ms II here tho seas
were filed with many large islnnds and soma.
rated by broad peninsuas. The dark areas
called seas, straits, CULTS, and lakes frequently
exhibit a greenish tint. but on this OCCASION
there was no distingnlshable color about them
to heighten the impression that they repre-.
scented water. That impression undenaby e1-
listed in tho mind OF tho observer. arising.
perhaps. partly from preconception on account
Of the widespread opinion that these darker
regions are really areas OF water. and partly