The sun., 1896-10-08
THE FLAGSTAFF "DISCOVERIES.
Garrett p. Serviss Says They Are Only
Confirmation of SehIaPnr-III's Work.

Garrett p. Serviss Says They Are Only
Connrmatious of SehIaPar-IIi's Work.
Astronomers in the East have been much in
terested In the announcements OF discoveries
made by the observers at Flagstaff. Ari2, in re-
Iation to Venus and Mercury. The Flagstaff
observatory was founded by Mr.. Percival Lowell
OF Boston in 1894 during tho opposition OF
Mars. DR.. G. J. Lee of Chicago Is now making
special observations there. Since he went there
last summer he has rediScovered the companion
of Sirius. the dog star. which disappeared ten
years ago. going too near the larger planet to be
seen. Mr.. Garrett p. ServIss, in speaking OF
the latest announcement from the observatory,
said yesterday:
"Schiaparelli. the italian astronomer at MI
Ian, discovered and announced six years ago
that both Mercury and Venus turned very
slowly on their axes so that the length of their
day is tho length OF their year. One side OF tho
planets is, therefore. continually In the light
and the other in the darkness. These observa-
tions at Flagstaff. while they cannot be Spoken
of properly as discoveries. are of the highest
interest and Importance, confirming the an
nouncemsnt OF Schiaparelli. Many astrono-
mers have been disposed to doubt his theory,
but the work done at Flagstaff confirms it.
RRw SchiRparell in Milan some time ago. and
he told me then that he had made further OBJ
servatioas that convinced him that ne was
right; T T. ,ao,, .o ~. ~,
mosphere are not new. For n long time II has
been known that Mercury has dense atmos-
phere ard Venue little or none. some astrono-
mers have thought that the great brilliancy Of
Venus m ght be due 10 q vast quantity of clouds
surrounding It. The F!agstaff observatinns
seem to dispose Of this. Others have ascribed
It's brlliancy 10 the density OF its atmosphere
which Ia apparently heavier than thar OF the
earth. The water lines in rs atmosphere sphere, are
bearing on the habtabllity Of the planets. !
think Venus 1. more likely to be inhabited
On both Venus and Mercury, however,
twice as much heat as We do and the tempera-
ture must be intentionally warm, TO .ay the
least t;,something like continual not spell, on d.
space. The rocks radiate away all the!r heat
and the cold must be SO intense that we can
have no appreciation Of II. On those parts for
ever turned away from the sun there J. degree
OF cold reached that is far greater than he low
est temperature found IN our AFctIc or Ant
arctic regions.
There IS on each of these planets region on
the east and west where owing 10 the tccen-
rc Of their 1rST '1 aaoe sSp cree TGa the sn
ON Venus this space is about 100 miles wide
The year OF Venus Is about go ui our days
Tho orbit OF Mercury - much more ecccntric
than that OF Venus, and the region in which the
sun rises aud sets Is consequently nnch larger.
i is between 500 and 900 miles wiHei | dis
cts are Inhabited. and II Venus and Mercury
are II Is in these tracts that the conditions are
are In the portions constantly exp aSed to tho
sun and In the parts that never are turned to-
ward il is impossible to say M. Co..
Mr.. Seryiss wrote u letter 10 TIE sun yestor-
day which hr concluded with this paragraph:
"The Flagstaff observers are very eht"rnrlsing
and able hut tncy should not attempt TO appro'
pirate TO themselves discoveries long ago made
and announced by other astronomers"
Commenting on this. he said that he thought
discoveries Of schiapaTellt.