The morning call., 1892-08-03
TAKE A LOOK AT MARS.

To-day the planet Mars is in opposition
near its perihelion. and is less than
"a, 000,C00 miles distant from the earth.
Such distance seems enormous TO one VINO
is not accustomed to measure terrestrial
spaces, but it is very much less than the
usual distance OF Mars. and it enables
astronomers to see much more of the planet
than they generally do. All over the world
the great telescopes in observatories are
directed to the planet which is our nearest
neighbor except Venus. The astronomical
professors at Berkeley and Palo alto have
joined the force at Mount Hamilton, and
when the skies permit the great 36-inch
equatorial is in constant requisition.
Observation is first directed to confirm the
discovery of the satellites of Mars, which
was made some years ago at the naval
observatory at Washington, and to verify.
II possible. SchiaBareliis theory of the
canals of Mars. The first has been done.
The satellites have been seen both from
Mount Hamilton and from Washington;
the observers at the former place are now
engaged in endeayoring to determine their
diameter. As the largest of the two is sup
posed 10 have diameter Of only some sixty
miles the difficulty of measuring such
| minute object at a distance of thirty-f0ur
million miles will be appreciated.
On The second field of inquiry the pros
| peet Of results is not encouraging. The
surface of the planet appears to be partly
dark and partly red. Schiaparelli and other
astronomers have assumed that the dark
spots are water and the red spots land, and
that the changes in the relative area Of the
two indicate works of excavation or canal-
zation on the planet Butsuppose the black
spaces are not water, and the red places not
land. The whole theory presupposes exact
knowledge on these points, and we haven't
got if, and it is hard 10 see how We are going
TO get if. On this earth of ours explorers
often mistake land for water and water for
land at distance of score or couple of
score of miles. How can we distinguish the
one from the other at distance of millions
of miles?
The only thing. that can be said TO be
positively determined is that there are an
atmosphere and water in Mars. This was
settled beyond dispute by the observations
of Higgins. What has been added by
Schiaparelli and FlammariOn is mere con-
lecture; ingenious and plausible, but mere
conjecture 1t is quite possible that further
discoveries of the component parts Of the
planet will presently be made by the COM
bined use of the telescope and the spectrum.
But the field is still open to the astronomer
and glory awaits him who will place it un-
der cultivation.
Among the rank and file Of mankind the
question which leaps to the lips when the
planets are under discussion is, Are they
inhabited? And if so, by what manner OF
creatures? To these questions the layman
is about as well able to PROFOUND a reply as
the astronomer. No astronomical observa-
tons have ever made the smallest progress
toward ascertaining the fact whether there
is or is not life in the planets. Reasoning
by analogy, the thinker argues that 10 have
picked out the planet on which we live as
the sole abode Of life in the solar universe
implies caprice which is not recOncilable
with The uniform operation Of the laws of
nature We find in the world that wherever
the conditions were adapted for the exist
ence Of life life came, from what cause or
source we know not. In like manner it
seems reasonable TO assume that whenever
planet was suited for the reception of
animate beings they made their appearance.
and we know enough To feel certain that
while some Of the orbs in our system have
ceased to be inhabitable by any race Of
creatures which we can conceive ana other
orbS are apparently in the Stage which pre-
cedes individuality, others, again, present
the same conditions as are observed in our
world, and are, presumably. fitted 10 be
reeeptaeles of life. Speculative philoso-
pliers, reasoning from abstract theory and
not from deduction. have thus almost con-
WINGED themselves that the planets which
circle near the earth must be inhabited.
When shall we know the truth Of the mat
ter?
We have not made a single step toward
actual intercourse with the planetary
spheres since a saDguine philosopher pro-
posed to telegraph through space by means
Of gigantic diagrams drawn on fiat spaces in
Siberia. But in modern science there is no
such word as impossible. We may at some
distant period communicate with our neigh
bOrs in space. 1t is, however, hard to say
how it could be done. Meanwhile lovers of
learning and of the marvellous viii find
occupation for their thoughts in studying
Mars at his present opposition.