New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-30
SOME rEArURES OF THE PLANET MARS.
From The chicago Inter ocean.

From The Chicago Inter ocean.
Mar. I, growIny brighter md getting nearer To Us
en,h evening, and already il biancy j. such rs To
attract the attention OF the most casual Observer but
~ oppo,irlon when 1t VIII AS- at sunset and ap-
poacn the earth nca!cr than Il lnN at any time IN
iuren years. The distance Of MATS from, the earth
Nl then be about 30 100000 ml!"s, and The southern
hrm phrrc OF Tie planet viii BE- presented to H. Vr
hc hrst time since the favorable opposition OF -'i
,"n,ber D. 1877. The coming opposition will. there
fore be All event of Interest 10 a,iroiVmcrs VINO
arr, already making extensive preparations for o.Sery
r,ropcs in existence will be directed 10 the briiH'
orb with the expectation Of solving many pr',hiehis
relating TO ts physical fenturos, and h,rrns on the
question TO whether or no: II J" mhhbtea N III
Once every two years and MY days Mars comes
into opposition when II is nearest the "aItn anu ''i
tr,,copc or the naked eye. Wien In thl, position
The apparent Size VI the planets DISK + twenty hvs
lines larger than when III conjunction or hrtrst r.
ns,ved from tn earth. but favorable oppos!hon IKE
the coming on" Of August B. !. sn ev,ns 'na, e"
n magnificent appearance ycing with Jupiter ana
Venus in brluncy. and rising unexpectedly about the
dine Of sunset /, ,nrprts", The observer a. VI he
were heholdlng celestial body. . .
The Topography Of Mar, Is greatly cn'ra'9d 70 , "r
81 the While on the earth lhrif - hpout .o"
lime. a, much water dry snd. ON the planet Wars
the proportion + about equal and on" msMt ' rns
M from he dry hand or me Journey could he mude
by water alone one peculiar featnre oi the Pn,ne, Is
nrckd seas" which ntcrl cked with fhc LANDS rs II
were. owing TO the Singular topography OF the piaAe'
The continents are 81 duh rcd color. and the water
,resent. "A gr,-.nsh hue TIA" rod color Of Mnr. from
which II has received The nnme g the rddy planet
wn. believed by >ir John iierschci 10 be due IL an
ochrey tlngc in the general ,p and others have nj
tilbnted Il to uccragit' ~ the atmosphere md
| couds some astronomers have suggested that the
color may be- citing L, the color ot he vegetation on
the planet, which i perhaps rcd instead N arcl.
n, on the earth; but Professor iockycr Is Of ire
oDuion that II j due 10 the absorption Of The Al.
mo- pierre Is the color OF the setting sun Wit rs
II Is n singular fact Thar the ruddy color 81 Mars
which distinguishes it from any ether paret Yib" q,
thp naked eye. vanShes almost enii;ey IN p'"erlhl
Telescope When viewed with even common tN"-
scOpe the plane" appears h'-s red aud the higher me
| mower the les the Intensity u color No mOnn,alNS
have vet been discovered upon the planet and IN"
peculiar distribution " land and water Is the most
Noticeable feature e i'S surface. some writer on the
subject has said: Herr continent an Island
| there every IS lake. l.ui these IKE orr own
continents chiefly confined n ono hemlsD'rrc 80
that the hnhitahlc arra " th" two globes may not
differ as much a. the ~" Of the planets So
Mars not only has land. water. and even snow me
the earth also clouds and mlsts which have been
frequently observed AZ various times, and prov" the
| existence ~ n dense surrounding atmosphere. soon
nfter the invention OF the telescope the polar regions
OF Mars attracted attention ~ the early Observers
with this instrument owing TO the singular and varied
| appearances they presented. A very noticeable and
remarkable feature Of the planet r. the presence ~ two
white patches. surrounding each pole which dis
appear M summer approaches and again reappear
during the winter season-phenomena which prove