The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-26
WEATHER ON MARS
Visible Evidences Of q Warm
Spell on the Planet.
An Extensive Thsw Observed Which In.
dlcated . summer Season In the
Southern Hemisphere OF Our
Neighboring World.

Among the most interesting observa-
srons of Mars during the recent opposi-
ton were those relating to the gradual
disappearance of the snow cap sur
rounding its southern pole. The disap-
pearance was due. Of course, to the
fact that it was summer in the south
ern hemisphere Of Mars, and the polar
SHOWS melted more and more rapidly
as the sun rose higher upon them. Yet,
although the reason was plain, and be-
cause it was plain, one could not watch
the process without experiencing a
strange feeling that amounted almost
to awe. 1t is quite easy, says the Sci
enti6c American, to think dispassion-
etely of the possibility that some things
may 60 on in other worlds just as they
do in this one as long as your eyes have
not confirmed what is in your mind;
but when peering through telescope
you actually behold such occurrences,
the effect is startling. 1t is like COM
ing suddenly in broad daylight upon
the scenery Of a dream. On June
the snow around the south pole OF Mars
was 2,40O miles across. A snow cap of
proportionate dimensions on the earth
would, in the northern hemisphere, ex-
tend as far south as ST. Petersburg. the
southern point of Greenland and Mount
st. Elias in Alaska. By July the di-
ameter of the snowy area had dimin-
ished to about 1,5o0 miles. On August
1 it was only 1,100 miles and on August
81, the date of the summer solstice in
the southern hemisphere of Mars, the
snow cap was but 500 miles across. But
heat accumulates in Marian summer
after the sun has begun to decline, just
as it does upon the earth, and accord
ingly the melting of the SHOWS contin-
ued after the solstice was passed. AT
the end of September the diameter of
the snow-covered region was only about
$50 miles, and at the opening OF Novem-
Der it was less than 200 miles.
Now comes a curious fact. About the
middle Of October 1t was reported that
the polar snow cap of Mars had van
ished; some of the most powerful tele-
scopes failed to reveal a trace of it!
Yet it is not probable that it had actual
" entirely disappeared. The explana-
ton of the apparent disappearance is
no doubt to be found in the fact that
as the snow area diminished it left the
pole uncovered by receding to one side,
for previous observations have shown
that on Mars, as on the earth, what
may be called the pole of cold'
does not correspond in location with the
pole of the planets axis. Schiaparellis
observations in 1877 and 1879 showed
that the center of the snow cap during
its minimum in those years was dis
placed toward that side of the pole
corresponding to an geographic longi-
tude of about 40 degrees. With the
other side of the planet turned toward
the earth the snow cap would
have been invisible, being, so to
to speak, hidden behind the pole. This
is apparently just what occurred
in the middle of October last. The
south pole was then free from ice, and
the center Of the snowy region was
displaced, as in 1877 and 1879, along the
meridian of 40 degrees But it was on
the other side of the planet which was
at that time presented toward the
earth during the best hours for obser-
walton, and consequently no polar snow
was seen; not because it had no exist
ence, but because it was concealed.
It is probable, however. that at its
minimum the snow cap was exceeding
~ small, perhaps less than one hundred
miles in diameter. No such rapid and
and extensive disappearance of snow
and ice ever occurs upon the earth, al
though the advocates of an open polar
sea may find encouragement in the
fact that the uncovered south pole of
Mars corresponds in color and general
appearance with what are believed to
be the water areas of that planet, while
what remains of the snow cap in such
circumstances rests apparently upon a
mass of land, perhaps no more than an
island rising out Of the polar ocean.
Owing to the larger eccentricity of its
orbit, the extremes of temperature on
Mars are greater than upon the earth,
although the total amount of the solar
heat received by the planet is less than
half as much as we get. But more i'm
portant than these differences is the
rarity of Mars atmosphere, which has
been so clearly demonstrated by the
recent spectroscopic observations of
Prof. Campbell. 1t may not be scien-
tifc, but it is certainly human to ask
whether it is probable that human be-
ings resembling ourselves were includ-
ed in the field of view of our telescopes
L.
southern SHOWS of Mars sparkling to
the sun and melting away at his ardent
touch. If such beings are there they
must exist in an atmosphere less than
one-quarter as extensive as the earth's