Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-21
TO STUDY MARS.
MIR. Lowell VIII Take His Big TeIe-
scope to Mexico.


scope to Mexico.
Boston Dispatch to New York Herald.
Mr.. Percival Lowell of Boston. the widely
known astror omer. has his big telescope
nearly ready. and is planning to go to Mex
lea next December and observe Mars, when
that planet viii be nearest the earth.
Mr.. Lowell believes that the size of tele-
scope is secondary matter. A steady at
mosphfre, he notes, is essential to the
study OF planetary details. large instru-
meht IN Poor air will not begin to show
what smaller one will in good atmos-
phere. Tie Mexican station will be 1890
icet above the sea level, and will be the
highest large observatory in the world.
Inc diameter OF the lenses of the Lick
telesot pc is thirty-six il ches The Yerkes
instrument which Avian Clark has lust
completed, to lie set up at Geneva Lake
Wis. has lenses of forty-inch diameter.
Mr. Lowell's lenses are tW enty-four inches
They were successfully cast some time
since by Mantois of Paris and Mr. Clark
mas Just completed their grinding and fin
ishlng. He was extremely successful, ana
considers the lenses the hest ever made,
and that is saying good deal for the
nicely of Alvan Clark's lens-making is
world-faElous
The new telescope is thirty-one feet I'm
locat lei 9Th and weighs several tons. 1t
VIII be taken to Mexico in car by itself
me lenses will be packed with extraordi-
nary care, and transported in a Pullman
paiace car. If they should be cracked or
nlcked the loss would be irreparable
In July Mr. Howell will probably return
TO Flagstaf. His Observable rs there to-
gether with Prof. w. H. Pickering and Mr.
A. e. Douglass beginning two Years ago
when Mars could be seen under the most
favorable advantages, Rave disclosed a
great deal that is new about the physical
condition of the planet Excellent maps OF
the canals have been made Recent mans
I.nu w mall
the south polar cap, which was plainly to
be seen because of tine tilt of that pole to-
ward the earth. The planet was kent un-
der observation for many months and the
changes in Its surface. their order and
their significance were carefully noted 1t
was discovered that the large areas of a
dark green color are not water, but strips
OF vegetation. These tracts change in
color through the four seasons of Mars
deepening through the summer and en-
tirely disappearing at the end Of autumn
Dir. Lowell also disclosed at the juncture
oil the cal ais peculiar oasis-like spots to
which category belong the lakes discov-
cred by Prof w. II. Pickering, at Arequi-
pa, Peru, in 1892. The canals follow the
arcs of great circles. Wherever they cross
there is apparently always a round spot
mat is an increased area of vegetation. Il
- probable that the dark lines trayersing
the surface of the planet are strips of veg
citation. of which the center is a narrow
canal of water. The likes do not sniff
their positions, ard apparen tly have been
laid out with great intelligence
In his coming observations Mr. Lowell
hopes TO obtain more data or the same
subject No doubt more data will be OBJ
tanned to confirm the fact of the existence
of a high order of intelligence on Mars
Whether or not that planet is inhabited
by men, such as We conceive them is prob
lematiCal.
The most Srotosque forms of animal and
Vegetable life may he ina gincd. The at
moSpeere OF Mars is thinner than that
OF the earth. ard the planet has every in
dlcatlon of having a warmer climate than
ours. 1t is hard to tell why this is so, be-
cause the planet is million or more years
older than the earth, and consequently its
interior IS cooler.
IT Is Improbable that any direct evidences
OF intelligence other than those furnished
ny the canals Will he obtained by Mr.
Lowell. The latter. Prof. Pickering and
Mr. Douglass, however have detected
twice the number of canals discovered by
Schiaparelli. and Mr.. Lowell looks forward
hopefully to determining more Irregularities
abHut the system of irrigation which seems
to be set upon Mars for purpose