The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-01
LATEST NEWS FROM MARS.
IMPORTANT OBSERVATIONS At THE
LICK OBSERVATORY.

LICK OBSERHATORY
INC canals" are broad strips and Not
Doubie-Thc Eciipses or Msrs,s Moon.
s've Means OF Measuring Them.
LICK OBSERVATORY. Cal. July 31.-Mars ia
now attracting much attention here among as.
tronomers. and the wonderfully elenr atmos.
phere OF the last three or four nights has aided
tho observers. THE Sun eorrospon1apt
visited the Mount Hamilton Observatory
this evening and learned that for several dovs
observations Of the most valuable charactar
have been obtained. The near approach q,
the planet, and its consequent brillinncv
and size at this time. have enabled
tho observers to utilize the full pow.
ers OF the instrument with the most
interesting results. The drawings by all the
astronomers exhibit numerous changes in the
principal characteristics since the celebrated
sketches made by the Milaness astronomer
schiapareli. Many OF his almost fanci-
full details are shown to have no exist.
ence in renllty. None OF the so.call.d
canals are doubled. or dominated, rs he
depicted them. All Of these curious streaks.
whatever they may be. are broad strips and
not narrow lines. just % they were seen
through the Lick telescope two years ago. and
In fact Just as they have boon ever since the
great Washington refrsctor was first turned
on the planet In 1874.
This will be disappointme emit to the vision.
airy theorists who have found in tho exist
ence OF those canals. and particularly in
the announcement that they all were
seen to be doubled. indisrutable evil
dence that Mars was inhabited by hu-
man beings. The most startling OF all
the Monnt Hamilton observations are those
made on the two tiny moons OF the planet,
VI Ill -
Washington during the opposition OF 1877,
and which have since been seen at brief inter-
walls and only In the largest telescopes. Not
only have these littlo attendants. by all odds
the faintest planetary bodies to be seen any
where In the sky. been In plain view for the
greater part OF the month. but Of late the as
tronomers have been regularly observing
their eclipses In the shadow Of Mars.
The most Astounding news are at the OBJ
servatories which POSSESS telescopes powerful
enough to show the moons most persistent
EFFORTS. and astronomers are not to believe
TINT tho Lick telescope enables these minute
specks OF light to be steadily followed right
up to the limb Of the planet.
1t was learned from Prof Holden that the
satellites are seen to disappear in eclipse
upon reaching the line OF shadow with
almost the same instantaneous effect
OF the moon passes over bright
star In the sky. Within two-tenths of a Sec
ond the whole body OF the moon is seen to be
immersed in tho shadow cast out into space
by the globe OF Mars.
1t Is almost impossible to convoy proper
idea Of the insignificant size Of the little
satellites. or Of the extraordinary small scale
upon which their orbits are drawn. The inner
satellite OF Mars has no larger area than an
ordinary California ranch. and is so n ear to thu
planet that il there are any martial inhabi-
tants they can readily find out whether this
satellite is Inhabited. the distance being less
than one-sixtisth that Of the moon from
U.s. The inner satellite Is probably about
eight miles In diameter. the outer one about
twenty. The first Is less than 1000 miles
from the surface Of the planet and the other
about three times that distance. Toaman in
Mars they would each appear about one.
nth the size Of our full moon. and they
revolve 30 rapidly about the planet that
the inner one appears to move through the |
sky from west to east. and consequently rises |
IN tho west 1t completes enc revolution in |
less than eight hours. 90 that it seems to he !
- new" three times a day
1t has only been possible heretofore to esti. |
mate the size Of these bodies by comparing
he amount OF light reflected by them with |
hat reflected from tho planet Mars itself.
whose size Is known. But now. by means OF
hese eclipse observations. we have direct
measure OF the size, since 1t Is found that
zach OF the satellites moves its own
iiamoter in about two-tenths OF second. and
We can easily toll from our knowledge Of their
'rbits Just what space In miles each Of thcm
moves through In that time. 1t is certain that
he Lick Observatory studies OF the planet
dars during the opposition Of 1892 will pass
INTO history.