The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-16
AN EVENING WITH MARS.
The Rudy Planet as Seen with Tele-
scope of the First Magnitude.

earth has awakened 80 much popular inter
est and given birth to 80 many untenable
theories that 1t seems worth while 10 at.
tempt TO define the actual facts relating 70
this celestial event. 1t has been asserted
that discoveries made within the last few
weeks prove beyond question that Mars il
an inhabited world. 1t would be difficult
to conceive anything more interesting
than that il such were the actual fact.
but no discovery has yet been announced
which justifles us in asserting positively
that living creatures exist on the Mars.
What can DO said with truth is that the
general appearance of the surface Of that
planet is such as it ought 60 have If condi-
lions resembling those upon the earth, and
which are ordinarily regarded as essential
to the support of life, prevail there. More
over Mars is surrounded with an airy en-
velope or atmosphere just as the eartn IS.
For the purpose Of describing the appear
ance of Mars from personal observation
with adequate means the writer, after
studying the planet with the smaller instru-
ments at his command, visited the Hasted
observatory at Princeton, where he was
permitted to make use Of the powers OF one
Of the halt dozen supremely great telescopes
of the world.
The Princeton telescope, it may be re-
membered, ranks third in the list of the
great telescopes of this country, its object
glass having a clear aperture OF twenty
three inches The Washington telescope
has three inches the advantage OF it In this
respect, but il 10 probable that the effective
power of the Princeton instrument Is quite
equal to that Of its huge rival at the Naval
observatory 1t should be said that the stu
alton of neither Of these instruments is
specially favorable for observations OF
this kind. They are too near the sea
level, like all the telescopes in the eastern
United States, where vision Is too often OBJ
structed by haze and clouds. In this re-
spect the giant Lick glass has an advantage
over nearly all other telescopes, quite as
great, perhaps, as that whlon It derives
from its superior dimensions. During the
present opposition. too, Mars, being in the
southern part of its orbit, runs so near the
horizon, like the sun i'll winter, that an ad-
ditional disadvantage is encountered by tue
observer.
But without paying a visit to Mount
Hamilton or to the Harvard University as
Economical station In the Peruvian Andes,
1t would hardly be possible to get better
view of Mars than can be obtained from
Princeton. The Princeton telescope is con-
stantlY in use for scientific purposes Of the
highest Importance, and it was only by the
special favor of Prof. G. A. Young and his
assistant, MIR. Taylor Reid, that The writer
obtained the privilege of studying Mars
with 1t for Que evening. That is an even
ing never to be forgotten. 1t furnished
views OF a neighboring world so stirring to
the imaginetlon that it seemed like the
opening up Of a new vista Of the universe
1t was the night Of Aug. 9. one of the best
nights for observation that had been en-
joyed at Princeton during the month. Yet
the night was not altogether fine. The
moon, Just past the full, was hanging In the
sky to the eastward OF Mars and Illuminat-
ing the haze in the atmosphere to the detri-
ment of telescope vision. a thunder storm
passing up the valley OF the Hudson was ex-
tending its long cirrus streamers overhead,
miles beyond the edge Of the STERN, aud
assisting TO obscure the sky.
Yet, with all these disadvantages, the
frst look into the great telescope, when,
with changing roar OF the revolving dome
IL had been brought to bear upon the planet,
was calculated to call forth an exclamation
of surprise. Larger than the full moon
Mars hung glowing red in the field A
moment of careful focusing. and the glarine
disk, at first dazzling to the eye, was re.
solved into those characteristic features
which astronomers have generally agreed
to regard as the visible seas and lands o.
| another world.
One of the first phenomena to catch the
eye was an oblong white patch at the soutl
| pole of the planet. No argument that ha
| covered region seems so convincing as doe
| its actual appearance to the eye. 1t look
so much like what we should imagin,
| would be the appearance of one OF the pole
| of the earth seen from a distance Of million
| OF miles that one is Instantly tempted to ex.
| claim: "What can it be but snow"
The edge of this apparent snow cap on th
north, or, in other words, on the side towar,
Mars equator, was distinctly bordered by
4 WI ia oft = h. NJ
called seas, the "Austral sea" OF Schiapa-
relli. Then further north came lighter
| colored patches, varying in visibility &C
| cording TO the rapidly changing conditio
of the atmosphere; and next another DARK
strip, revealing itself more clearly at il
tervals, and broken by indentations and in
terruptious, as If here the seas were file
with many large islands and separated b.
| broad peniniulars. The dark areas callet
seas, straits, CULTS and lakes frequentl
exhibit a greenish tint, but on this occasion
there was no distiuguishable color abou
| them to highten the Impression that the
represented water That impression unde
Diably existed In the mind OF the observer
arising, perhaps, partly from preconoeptiol
on account Of the widespread opinion tina
these darker regions are really areas o
water. and partly from the effect Of con
trast with the red expanses around them
This contrast produces the appearance 0
globe spotted with seas and land, the sea
being darker owing to the absorption Of
light by the water
A broad reddish region occupied the equa
torial planet, and this in turn was vnrie
gated with dark spots and stresks. At on
time the somber district, named by Schiapa
reln the Lake Of the Sun, was visible recall
ing the appearance Of the Mare Httlno,ltp
a round dark spot that may be seen witt
the naked eve In the sou theastern part of tn
| moon. There were moments when sudden
steadiness seemed TO come in the air, an,
when details that the eye longed to grasp an,
! retain flashed into visibility and then aimos
instantly faded, like passing shadows
| Every one who is accustomed to the use o
telescopes is familiar with these fits an
starts Of good seeing" 1t is because a tel
| escope placed above the lower layers Of tn
atmosphere is largely freed from this sourc
| OF obsourity that mountain top observato
ries are becoming popular and proving eff
| fective
From the northern edge of the region JUS
| described begin and stretch away many @
! the celebrated canals" of Schiaparelli.
felt certain that II the instants OF goo
seeing could be prolonged into minutes
should be able TO behold the mysterlou
| canals. AS it was, those instauts simpl
| gave tantalizing glimpses Into the world q
Mars, so brief, though briefly clear, tha
the fancy probably pictured even NOR
| than the startled eye beheld. l wa
as il a haZy veil were suddenly remove
| from the face of the Dlanat and them