The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-18
also visible only at certain times, and
to very different degrees Of abundance.
TUE, cEAoON M MARS

also visible only at certain times, ana
to very different degrees Of abundance.
THE SEASON OF MARS.
Inasmuch as the axis Of Mars Is tilt
ed over like the earth's-Only little
more sO-the ruddy planet has seasons.
The gradual disappearance OF white
patches around the poles, presumably
snow, every summer. and the forma-
tion of dark belts around these shrink
Ing areas are among the best known OF
the seasonal changes on Mars; but the
other variations referred to have also
been found to be related. to a great
extent. with the time of year at which
the observation was made. 1t was not
an unreasonable surmise. then. that
the occasional encrOachment of dark
areas on the bright ones might repre-
sent an inundatiop Of low lying and al
most perfectly level lands. in cOnse-
Quence of a slight rise of the sea. II,
as IL credible, the .uartian oceans are
very shallow. one can understand why
their color fades out near the edges.
and how the access of little water
from the polar regions might produce
the effect observed. So. too, with the
canals. If they are veritable water
courses, and If the little dark spots
at their intersections be lakes" (as
they have sometimes been called),
their visibility and the duplication of
both canals and lakes might well be de-
pendent on the time and plenitude Of
the water supply from the poles
Schiaparelli. however. has sugg sted
that the variations in the size and color
of the dark markings might possibly
be due to changes of vegetation over
agricultural labor and irriga tion upon
a large scale" At the same time. ..e
emphasizes the paucity of the informa-
tion on the subject and observes. with
true scientific caution, that the wide
liberty of supposition thus afforded
constitutes the gravest obstacle to
acquisition Of well-founded notions"
No definite proof OF the existence of
either vegetables or animal life on
Mars has yet been afforded, although
the presumption in favor Of the forme
! Is probably stronger than that in sup
port of the latter.
THE DARK AREAS.
Professor William H. Pickering has
also advanced the theory that the dark
areas on Mars represent vegetation.
His most effective argument Is that
light reflected from them is not polar
ized," as it should be IL they are water,
except in the case Of the temporary
belt formed around the melting polar
cap. 1t would seem to be of the ut
most Importance, therefore, that care
full tests be made with the polariscope
by other skilled astronomers at this Op-
position, to verify or disprOve Profess
sor Pickering's statement. Percival
Lowell, of Boston. who erected spe-
cial observatory at Flagstaff, Ariz.. In
1894 for the study of Mars, imagines
that the canals are belts Of vegetation
lining water courses that are much
narrower and consequently are them
selves invisible here. He thus assumes
that Mars has inhabitants of as much
intelligence and engineering skill as
men possess; but he Is almost alone in
considering the case proven. If one
will observe the distinction between
natural growths. like forest and prairie.
on the one hand, and. on the other. the
artificial flower bed and market gar
den, he will find 1t easy to accept the
vegetation theory In a general way,
without going so far as the enthusiast
ic Bostonian does.
1t ought to be pointed out in this con-
nection that Mr.. Lowell speaks of the
changes in tint and size of the dark
areas and the development of the cam
! ais as being gradual; but the veteran
Italian expert, who is everywhere re-
garded the highest authority on this
subject. describes some of these phe-
nomena, and especially the duplication
of the canals and lakes, as occurring
rather suddenly. OF course, the abrupt
ness with which these things are first
observed may be due to some extent to
obscurities in the Martian atmosphere
| and the earth's own, which would hide
| for several days a gradual change.
| Then, with a rapid Improvement in the
| conditions Of seeing, the situation would
be more distinctly and Unexpectedly
revealed A further comparison of
notes as to the rapidity with which these
alterations occur Is, apparently, great
ly needed. 1t might assist In determine
ing the nature Of the dark patches and
lines.
DOUBLING" PHENOMENON.
The fact that both canals and lakes
(Mr. Lowell calls the latter "oases")
lying exactly parallel with and about
| seventyfive or hundred miles away
from the original. renders the theory
of construction by the inhabitants of
Mars q still more difficult one to ac-
cept. 1t Is hard to understand the mo-
| tive for an arrangement. Then again,
while 1t IL conceivable that a system
| of cross canals and gates might account
| for the time intervals between the ap-
pearance of one twin and the other the
| seeming rapidity with which the latter
| develops. often within twenty-four
hours, Is not easily reconciled with
what we have observed in connection
with terrestrial vegetation along arti-
| fetal water-cOurses. There Is another
queer thing about the ''gemination" of
the lakes. Their shapes differ greatly,
J from time to time, as If they were the
| products Of accident rather than de-
| sign. For instance. Ismenius Ia at
| the intersection of the canals Euphrates
| (running north and sOuth) and PrOton-
illus running east and west). Now,on
Dec. %. 1881, Schlaparelli perceived that
the latter was double, and there were
two lakes. one north of the other, and
| both greatly elongated In an east and
west direction. The lakes were,in fact,
bands continuous with the channels of
PrOtOnilus, but much wider. But on
May q, 1883. the distinguished Italian
discovered Euphrates double and Pro-
tonilus single. Ismenius was again q
pair of twins, but utterly unlike the
twin lakes Of 1881. In the first place
| their positions relatively to each other
g, were different. One was due west OF
the other. Secondly, their shape was
changed. They were round, not elon-
| gated. A large number of such cases
can be cited, which cannot easily be ex-
planned on any theory Of design but
which strongly suggest mere chance,
| At the next opposition Of Mars. late
In January, 1899, the planet will be still
further away from the earth than he Is
this time. but at an equally good eleva-
tion. The outlook for new and start
ling revelations during the next few
years Is not, therefore, particularly
good.
| Frau Materna has bought a fine castle
| near Gras, and says that she intends tC
live there In peace and retirement for the
rest of her life.