Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1894-06-29
AstrOn0 mtcal Fancies.
Telegraph.

The discovery of four bright points
on the planet Mars has suggested to
certain very speculative astronomers
that the Martian people are signaling
to the world. This idea is being made
80 much of and is being treated 80
much as of course that many people
have come to think that the fact that
Mars is inhabited has been DEM
onstrated. Camille Flammarion, who
writes so entertainly OF astronomy, has
done much to foster this idea, al
though he has never said that Mars is
inhabited. As . matter of fact no one
knows anything about it. Certain
things have been observed in regard to
Mars which imply the existence OF an
atmosphere and moisture on that
planet. The principal Of these is the
existence OF a white area at the poles
of the planet which enlarges during
winter and decreases during summer.
The only hypothesis upon which this
can be explained is that there is snow
on Mars. II there is snow there must
be moisture and an atmosphere and
temperature somewhat similar to that
on the earth. The surface of the
planet shows spaces which appear to
be land and others which appear to be
water. Hence it appears entirely pro-
bable that men could live on Mars.
Arguing from analogy and assum-
ing that the operation of natural laws
are uniform all over the universe il is
inferred that where living creatures
can live they do live. This is in sub
stance all that is known about the
possibility OF Mars being inhabited.
The so.called "canals" are not under
stood. They present the same general
characteristics of what is assumed to
be the water surface OF the planet.
Some astronomers say the "canals"
are sometimes duplicated for q short
time. 1t has been suggested that
these canals have been made to at
tract the attention of the inhabitants
of this world.
The whole thing is simply an inter-
esting hypothesis at present, with just
enough facts about it to make no kind
of speculation too absurd. 1t is like
the idea which has lately been ad-
vanced about the moon.
As most people know, we only zee
one side OF the moon. The other side
is never turned toward the earth. Ow-
ing to the att traction of the earth the
moon is lopsided and the heavy side is
towards US.
If we lived on the invisible side of
the moon the portion next the earth
would be like q vast inaccessible
mountain district, elevated so high
that the atmosphere would be too rare
to support life. From this it's argued
that even if there is no atmosphere on
our side of the moon, and if there is
any it is very much rare6ed, it does
not follow that there is not both at
mosphere and water on the side we do
not see. Lately very bright point
has been discovered near the rim OF
the moon. 1t may have been there q
long time, but it has only lately been
an object of speculation. Some in
genious astronomer has suggested that
the people who live on the other side
of the moon and who naturally want to
know something of the great luminary,
that is, the earth, which shines above
the inaccessible mountain region, have
gone as far in that direction as they
can 20 and they have erected a huge
mirror in which the earth is reflected,
and that it is this mirror which makes
the bright point referred to. OF
course, all this is the creation OF i'm
agination out of very few, and not at
all understood facts.
The public have lately been treated
to some speculations by an Austrian
astronomer as to the probable fate OF
tie world during the next few years.
We are to have collision with great
comet, and if the astronomer is right