Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-31
REVOLUTIONS In MARS.
Rapid Changes Made Almost Daily
on the Face of the Planet.
RESULT OF MANY OBsERV ATOMS
Work Done by Professor Keller at the
Allegheny Observatory.
AN ISLAND THAT Is GROWING LARGER

"Within the last score of years marvellous
changes have taken place upon the planet
Mars" said Prof Keeler, of the Allegheny
Observatory, yesterday while summarizing
the results of the Mars observations by
astronomers the world over. "We have all
used the chart made by Prof Schiaparelli,
the celebrated astronomer Of Milan" con-
tinued Prof. Keeler.. ''This chart consumed
20 years of arduous work by the studious
Italian, and was published in the form of .
globe in 1888 Since Mars has been so near,
to us the closest attention has been
paid to every part of the planet visible and
close comparisons have been made between
the parts visible and the chart of Prof
Schiaparelli."
Prof. Keeler then Led the way into the
photographing room, where the chart was
mounted and set amid quantities of black
velvet drapings. A small fashlight camera
was set and all preparations were made for
photograph. He brought out journal,
In which were series of shaded drawings
he had made from his observations Ths
drawings are the size of silver dollar, and
the photographs will be the same size. To
the uneducated eye the drawings resemble
plain circle with shadings of peculiar for
nations near the upper half.
As Seen In a Photograph.
The globe chart is in cream and dark
blue colorings, the former representing the
land and the latter the sea- A singular
part is the land being cut and divided with
perfectly straight dark lines, which have
been generally accepted as the famous
ha lu ipfa u
waterways, there being no erratic twisting,
serpent-like courses similar to the rivers
on the earth. Near the South Pole the
land for great many degrees of longitude
runs along in straight line with perfectly
rounded end and is surrounded upon three
sides with water. The entire chart Is q
strange looking object in the way of maps
and should be seen to be appreciated.
sit will be far easier to make compari-
sons with photographs than with the chart
as it stands" resumed P rof Keeler, after
busying himself in arranging the lights for
the camera A drawing upon globe is !
difficult to compare with fiat drawing, but {.
this difficulty is overcome by getting the
entire half of the globe upon fiat surface
and by this distances are lost.
An Island That Grows.
sThe changes upon the surface of Mars
are gradual but sure. The large island, eI-
tending from 800 to 500 south latitude and
297o of longitude is evidently growing
larger in comparison with the Schiaparelh
chart. 1 have even noticed a change since
we began the series of observations last
July, and from Prof. Holden, of the Lick
Observatory, have just received letter in
which he agrees with me. There have been
600 photographs taken at the Lick Observa-
tory, although the observations are BY no
means over. Night before last obtained
the elearest and most satisfactory view Of
the entire series and am hopeful of having
more equally good. The results of the series
of observations taken the world over will
not be ready for several months and until
definite"