Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-05-21
A PLANET LIKE OURS.
In All Essential Points Mars 10 Startlingly
Like the Earth.


Like the Earth.
From westermann's Monat's-hefte.
The first sight of Mars through an observa-
tory telescope is almost terrifying. even for a
person of good nerves. II is as if one saw the
whole earth, with its icy poles, as a solid globe,
floating overhead. One distinguishes clearly
the dark blue seas and the brilliant, beaming.
many-hued dry land-and on this the dry beds
of multitude Of lakes, bays, CULTS. streams
and canals, these latter either parallel to each
other or crossing ono another at right angles
As you continue to look Won note the varis-
lions OF color and of light and shade and fur
Their that the outlines on one edge Of the disc
pass out Of sight, while on the other the land
scape expands; you see that Mars revolves on
Its axis and that the ends of the axis are the
frozen poles, as with US. There is a further re-
semblancc in the inclination of the axis. which
provides tina. on this planet also the seasons
follow each other i'm regular succession. The
ice crust at the poles diminishes in summer,
ahording demonstration not only that Mars i
influenced by the suns rays precisely ~ We are,
but also that the air and water are identical
with ours. In fact the meteorology of Mars is
now being reduced TO a science.
Judging the two planets by superficial char
acteristics, however. one must admit a coudi-
tion implying higher degree of development
IN Mars. The continents of the earth. seen from
a distance, present a very torn appearance and
occupy scarcely a third Of it's surface while Mars
is girdled on both sides of the equator by one
continuous mainland. intersected by a network
OF canals and rivers, the land occupying approx
imateiy three-fourths Of the whole area OF the
planet and the water only one-fourth. as a con-
sequence of which il may be that its atmos-
phere IL less clouded and vapor laden than ours
Peculiarly characteristic is the arrangement In
which the geological nature Of Mars has laid out
the streams (canalsf).
All our streams, without exception are tor
tuous, end all increase in width as they near
the ocean. On Mars, on the contrary. the
streams flow in straight limos and are of uni
streams from 20 to 100 kilometers apart, have
their banks well defined as to suggest the
idea that they are subject TO intelligent regula-
ton. II 10 hardly possible TO conceive thar
two parallel canals, intersected At right angles
by third, - in Opher land, can be the work of
elementary forces of nature. The question sug-
gests itself again by the two canals which now
from ocean to ocean through the Island Hellas
crossing each other at right angles in the center
Not less questionable IL the origin Of the great
blue Lake of the Sun I'm the center of Keppler
land with its three rectilinear canals connecting
Ever and ever the question recurs: Il Il poe
sible that the crust of planet whose density Is
only seven-tenths less than that of the earth
can be SO yielding that the streams at their orr
gln encounter no impeachment TO their direct
coursef Or have they really been regulated by
the inhabitants Of Marian engineering feat
presenting, perhaps, few serious difiicuities?
But what most sxeites our establishment in
connection with these canals IL that almost
every one Of them il double, l. e., il has lbs par;
ausa canal alongside Of it, but visi-
BILE at intervals only. This has thor
oughly peRplexed all investigators The
earth has nothing analogous TO aid us 10 Q solu-
tiom On this account the return OF Mar is
looked forward to with considerable interest.
Tbs improvements In optical instruments within
the pas decade may probably help 20 solve the
riddle, on what h perhaps still more probable,
NAY preDout more riddles Of solution.