The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1892-08-12

" sAaHsMHaAs
LICK OnsERyAToRY, Cal, Aug. a.
Edward s. Holden, Of the Lick obBerv-
ntory, aid tonight regarding ihe
opposition Of Mars
We have replied 10 many inquiries
received during the present opposition
81 Mara These inquiries indicate
widespread interest, but in many cases
they appear to be based on misappre-
hension Of the work now being done
Oh the planet and elsewhere. We are
simply endeavoring TO obtain more
accurate information regarding the
planet, that ID All. Future oppositions
IN which the planet viii be seen at
greater altitude will be more favorable
even If the planet lie not more extinct
after IT Will Be nearer the zenith than
now. We also wish to know how
nearly Mars resembles the earth, and
whether II is fit 10 be inhabited by
beings like ourselves. In my opinion
the time has not yet come to even
speculate on this question. My reason
for saying this Is because ] think 1t
very doubtful If all the observations
yet made are sufficient to enable rs TO
pronounce on even the lesser points
we seek There Is very little doubt
but that by and by science will
interpret all, or nearly all, of the phe.
nomena now seen and to arrive at
certsinties. Just now only a few
things are certainly known With re-
spect to our nearest planetary neigh.
bors. We are now giving nearly all
the time Of our great telescope 10 the
work. We hare found great changes
10 details Of surface, while the man
outlines have renamed much the same.
These changes have seemed TO be so
great that it is often difficult to
explain them by terrestrial snalogies.
If there are people in Mars, think
they are Esquimanx If the red areas
are land and the dark ones water, we
can describe great foundations which
have taken place and might mention
the fact that where there are now two
lakes there was only one in 1877.
Some time during next autumn we
shall have finished our observations.
Il rs very probable that we can then
draw some conclusions which are Ger
tain, and it rs possible that consider
able new light may be thrown on this
problem. / think j am justified in
saying that no more conld have been
done than has been done. If the
results are not definite, the reason
must be in the extreme difficulty Of
the problem in hand
WHAT THE ASTRONOMERS IN CENTRAL
EUROPE SAW.
Vienna, August 4.-ISpeCial. in
an interview had at the observatory
on the Turkenschanze in Vienna with
Assistant Astronomer Hildebrand the
latter said that observations of the
planet Mas were made from the
nights Of July 80 to that of August 2,
inclusive, by Herr Paliss, the chief
assistant astronomer and himself.
Owing to the proximity of the planet
to the southern horizon, however, the
result Of the observation was unsatis.
factory. The progress of the planet
was watched for an hour at a point
50 degrees above the horizon. Snow
fields could be seen distinctly extend
ing 30 degrees from the south pole.
Immediately underneath this white
patch three large dark groups were
observed. ''Perhaps," remarked Herr
Hlldebraud to his caller, 'Ethey are
continents like those Of our earth.
The haze which enveloped the lower
part Of Mars, however, rendered accu-
rate observations impossible. The
north pole and the equator were com
pletely obscured." These observa-
tons were taken at 1870 in the morn
ing with the largest telescope in
central Europe.
WHAT wlGGIEs SAYS.
Ottawa, Ont, Aug. 4.-Dr. Virgins,
the weather prophet and astronomer,
states that be was much surprised at
the result of the investigation through
the Lack telescope regarding the planet
Mars. Such a result was certainly
very disappointing to astronomers, as
they bad fully believed in the accuracy
Of Schiaperelli's Investigations regard
ing the parallel canals on the face of
the planet, but which the Lick tele-
scope did not reveal In any shape.
DR.. Virgins thinks Mars must be a
far more desirable world TO live in
than Is our Own, because there is only
small region near the poles where
any winter exists, and it has such a
dense atmosphere that the temperature
10 not excessive even at the equator.
f'As it is many millions Of years
older than the earth, /" be SAID, Il Judge
that its inhabitants mnst be much more
intelligent than we are and probably
live for hundreds Of years."
/ would infer tins from the fact
that noxious vapors do not exist 10 its
atmosphere to cause epidemiCs, for its
volcanic agencies ceased many millions
of years ago. As his attraction OF
the earth is now the greatest possible,
our atmospheric density is slightly
increased, which accounts for the
great beat Of the present summer.
This will also increase she violence Of
Mount Hlna's eruption, and we will
have increased volcanic action and
humidity throughout the world.
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