The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-02-24
MYSTERIES Or VENUS.
gpecu1ations and RcclIOniDEs Con-
cerning the beautiful Planet.

cerning the Beautiful Planet.
The most beautiful planet and the ono
that come, Ecarcst to the earth and most
resembles thc earth i'll liz is ut the same
time the most mysterious. Is Venus d
living world or dead one-that is to say
is it in II condition to support inhabitants,
and is it probable that sI;ch Inhabitants
are there, or, on the other hand, is it I'M
suited for their presence and barren Of
living forms?
These questions astronomers at present
are unable to answer, but their efforts to
answer them and the observations that
they have made OF the mysterious planet
possess an almost startling interest.
First let us briefly recall what Venus is
1t is Il globe like our earth and of very
nearly the same magnitude, having n
diameter of about {, 700 miles, while that
of the earth is n little more than 1900
miles. So nearly of the same size arc the
two planets that if we could view them
from an equal distance we should be I'M
able without the aid of Instruments of
measurement to detect any difference be-
tween them. The substance of Venus is
slightly lighter, bulk for bulk, than that
which compoSeS the earth. hit the differ
enCc in this respect is so little that again
it would require special examination TO
distin guiSh by weight between q cubic
foot of the soil OF Venus and an equal
amount of the soil OF the earth. 1t follows
that on Vents the force OF gravitatinn or
the weight of bodies does not greatly differ
from that on the earth. Ii We could step
upon Venus, we should find that we had
parted with few pounds weight, but the
difference would not be very noticeable,
except perhaps on the race track.
But this planet, so like the earth in
many respects, is very different from our
globe III its situation. The Carth's dis
lance from the sun is SO, 900, 900 miles;
the distance of Venus from the sun is o.
600, 600. This difference becomes q mat
ter of great Importance when we consider
the effects which the sun produces upon
the two planets. Heat and light, as every
body knows, vary invcrsely as the squa
of the distance. When we compare the
square of the carth's distance from the
sun with the square of Venus distance,
we find that the former is about double
the latter This means that Venus on
the average gets twice as much heat and
light from the sun lis the earth gets.
But, on the other hand, we know that
all forms of life depend for their existence
upon the radiant energy of The sun. On
the earth, when We pass FROM the arctic
| region toward the equator, we find the
number of living forms and the variety
and intensity OF the manifestations of life
| continually increasing until IN the cGu;t-
| torial zone earth, sen and air are all
crowded with animate and growing
| things. The touch of the sun everywhere
produces life, and in the absence Of sun
shine is death. 1t is but natural to infer
| that Venus, having twice as much sum
shine as the earth, should e. proportion
| atcly more crowded with animal and vCge-
| table Inhabitants, and that the intensity
| of life there should be corrcspoEdinEly
| greater. Some gcol0gtsts have thought
| that there was 4 time when the climate OF
| the earth was so hot that tropical plants
| and beasts lived abundantly around the
| poles. A similar condition of things
might be supposed now IL prevail upon
Vcnus-Harrer' Round Table