The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-08-13
PROF. SCHIKPARELLI
Says the Big Lick Telescope Confirms
the Canal Story.
The Learned Professor Nightly watching
the Opposition of That Planet Through
His Now Famous Instrumont-why
the Astronomers See Differently.

New York, Aug. GA Milan cable
says: Prof Schiaparelli, the illustrious
astronomer whose fame is SO gloriously
vindicatcd by the Lick telescope, was
seen here. He has known of the prog
ress of the observations by Lick astron-
omcrs, with whom he has been in COR
respondence, and expressed great adj
miration for the American enterprise
which had brought their splendid OBJ
servatory into existence at SO great a
cost.
People in Milan have always ex-
pressed their confidence in any state
ment regarding the science of astron-
omy which Prof. Schiaparelli might
make, and it is a qualification to them
to know that the Lick telescope has
confirmed the existence of his famous
duplicated lines on Mars. OF this planet
he has made special study, having de-
voted to the work the greater part of
his active life. In the long course of
observations he made previous to- issu-
ing his famous map of Mars thirteen
years ago, Prof. Schiaparelli used an
| eight inch glass. Astronomers subse-
| quently in various parts of the earth
| failed to verify his lines, even with
| glasses as large as twenty-six inches,
| but now it seems from the reports re-
ceived here about the work of the Lick
| telescope that his keen gray eyes must
| have marvellous penetration and reach
ing power.
In talking about the subject, the pro
fessor said the great lines dividing the
60 e
peared to him very clear
II saw q parallel duplication with almost
| forty lines said he "in 1882, and their number
| increased with successive observations without
| the duplication however, being always visible
| The identical direction of the lines proved theil
| connection with the soil. The varying visibility
| of their duplication arose from different Rtmos
| pheric conditions at the times of opposition"
| 1.-The denial of the existence OF the duplica
| tion," replied the great astronomer, "always
| seemed to me absolutely unreasonable, for the
| markings we're clearly seen by four astronom
ers. These were myself and Coloria at the
| Milan observatory Perotin at the Nice
| observatory, and Schaeberie at the Cali
| fornia observatory Three Of these observed
| the lines of Mars during the planetary opposi
tion. Two, then, did not perceive the duplica
| ton The third, Schaeberie, verified severa
| cases which he noticed at the same time us tho
| Milan observatory"
|
| of observation by other astronomers. The first
of these is the different achromatisms of the tel
escopes. The visibility of certain stars depends
more upon the suitability of the instruments
| rejecting certain colored rays than upon the
size of the instruments themselves. Several o
the Milanese telescope makers have devoted
| special attention TO the refraction o.
| red rays and think they make
the best instruments for observing
Mars, whose rays are red of great intensity
Tho second cause for the variability of obServa
tions is habit, The eye think, should be habit
| uated to the observation of certain stars Il
was only after fourteen years work in observ
ing Mars that saw the details of the image
| with any clearness, and after that further de
tails appeared The California astronomer:
who appear to be doing such excellent worl
| with their fine instrument could thus probably
| be enabled to see next year many things notap
| parent now.
| "Some persons have attributed to me tn
idea of finding in the Implications of the line
of Mars proof that the planet was inhabited
and this they thought was based upon the sup
| position that the lines were the work of reason
| ing beings. 1 never said anything of the kind
| Natural forces may have followed these deel
canals fifty TO one hundred kilometers, or l64,
900 TO 32S feet long.
"Why they are double 1t is impossible to say
and it would be idle in an astronomer to set Vi
| an hypothesis for discussion. Nature every
| where causes phenomena, which are at presen
little understood. 1t would still require lon
and laborious observations before we coul
know definitely from what could be seen tina
Mars was sustaining life
81 am convinced of the habitability of tn
plant" replied Schiaparelli, "but my conviction
upon that point is based upon many other thing
than simple observations. The condition whicl
prevails in Mars seems to approximate NOR
closely those of the earth than is the case o
of any other heavenly body. 1t would indee
be strange If a globe like ours in many of ii
important features should exist without lif
of some kind, especially when we know tina
such life would be impossible on the earth wer
such conditions absent. Thus naturalists an
philosophers would say that it is much easie
to show that animal life exists on Mars thai
that it does not, The burden Of proof, there
fore, rests upon those who deny such eS
| istence"
During the present opposition of Mar
Prof. Schiaparelli has been nightly ol
the scene of his labors watching tn
planet through his now famous instru
ment and making such additions TO hi
map as his keen eyesight has been en-
abled to detect. His canal theory i
widely known here among the common
people, who regard the professor with
reverential awe and would believe hin
if he said there were gondolas on tn
seas of Mars.
CONGRESS ADJOURNS.