The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-08-02
TIE GASES oF MARS.
Interesting Possibilities Dependent Upon
an Alleged Discovery.

an Alleged Discovery.
In Popular Astronomy, Percival Lo-
well of the Lowell observatory, Arizona,
discusses the "oases" of Mars. He OBJ
served last sumrr~w that the canals slow
ly appeared in II way to indicate that
they were seasonal and that round, dark
spots slowly developed after the canals
and at their intersection. AS time passed
the spots deepened in color, leading to
the conclusion that vegetation was con-
cerned in the phenomenon. The same
condition was noted in tire canals them
selves, indicating that vegetation along
the banks caused them to be visible and
to appear double.
In nearly very case the spotswere Cir
cular and averaged about 1870 miles in
diameter. This circular form is an evil
dence to Mr.. Lowell that the system is
artificial, as he reasons that if the for
nation was natural the GASES would be
concave between the intersecting canals
| instead of convex. This contention is
reasonable, and, taken in connection with
the fact that in most cases more than
two canals intersect at single oasis,
furnishes good argument in favor Of
the theory that the canal system is ar
tificial His statement of the case is GER
! tainly very ingenious, if it is not con-
elusive. He says: eff one were to draw
lines at haphazard over the surface Of a
globe, he would find that, although
crossings of two lines would occur
plentifully enough, crossings of more
|
never. He saw no less than nine canals
centering or intersecting at one circular
spot or oasis. In nearly all cases more
than two lines Of canal cross in one place
marked by a spot One can best demon
strate the difficulty of haphazard inter-
section at one point of more than two
lines by drawing lines at random on
blank sheet Of paper. After the expert
ment has been tried the force of Mr..
Lowell's reasoning will be evident. 1t
is certainly the strongest presentation yet
made in favor of the theory that the
canals are artificial
The arrangement by which several
canals are made to intersect at one point
would utilize to the best advantage the
water annually flowing from one pole
| to the other over the desert of the equa
| torial regions as the SHOWS about one
pole melt. There must be time when
the flow of water in the canals nearly
ceases This must be when summer ends
J at one pole and winter is just beginning
! to give way to spring in the other. The
seasons come and go so slowly that there
are no floods, but merely change in the
direction of flow of water from one pole
to the other across the equator. During
the opposition of Mars last season the
southern pole was presented to us, and
when first observed the snow cap was OF
large dimensions. 1t melted under the
! heat of advancing summer, and as the
water flowed northward through the
canals vegetation revived, and the lines
and spots became visible in the telescope.
If the observations of Mr.. Lowell are
accurate, he has gone long way toward
showing design in the canals and the
round spots or cases. 1t will remain for
astronomers to test the accuracy of his
seeing, keeping in view the explanation
that has been advanced. There is pos
sibility that Mr.. Lowell, aided by other
observers, may demonstrate at the next
opposition that Mars is inhabited
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle