Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-08-05
MARTLANS
RRIGAT TING
RUN WATER THROUGH A VAST
CANAL SYSTEM
EMINENT ASTRONOMER TALKS
OF OBSERVATIONS
Percival Lowell Convinced inhabitants
of Planet Are Fighting to Keep
Life in Population of
Dying World

Resplendent In the southwestern sky
these summer evenings, Mars makes a
fine spectacle, and the astronomical spe-
cialists who are studying the planet at
the various observatories expect to get
some remarkable photographs of its Gu
riously marked surface
AT present under the telescope Mars
reveals most interesting contrasts to the
observer For the most part it owes its
nery tint to the predominance of reddish,
ocher-tinted masses that cover five
eighths of It's surface and which are be-
Iieved to be great stretches of desert not
unlike those on the earth, both in size and
hue, but in addition to these ocher areas
there are the white polar caps, supposed
ly ice masses, and blue, green or dark
areas fancifully dubbed seas, which spot
the surface in curious manner and are
connected by the famous canals which
run all over the surface like straight lines
laid down by man, and whicl., like the
so-called seas" are believed to be evil
dence of vegetation on Mars, if not of the
actual existence of water masses in these
particular places.
observers, since, while Mars a it's most
distant point at oppositions can be Co.
100000 miles away from us, this time 1t is
within 3S,0O0,OO miles of the earth, and
for several weeks will be the most re-
splendent object in the southern heavens.
Although at present almost as near the
earth as 1t can ever be, the position OF
Mars so far south of the equator Is a
great disadvantage to telescope observa-
anrtI, LOO; ~
the equator, however, the planet will
reach a high altitude in the sky, and
Prof. Percival Lowell of the famous Flag
staff observatory in Arizona has tempo
rarily established a select staff of trained
observers in the Andes, where ideal con-
ditions exist and where Mars will cross
the meridian almost in the zenith.
At Flagstaff Mr.. Lowell has also made
special preparations to study the planet
during the opposition, and the splendidly
equipped western bservatories-particu-
larly the Lick observatory on Mount
Hamilton and the new observatory on
Mount Wilson-as we'll as certain foreign
observatories, will all be busy for the
next few weeks studying the permanent
physical markings on the planet, which
are now believed to be evidences of the
existence of sentient intelligent beings on
at least one other body of the solar sys-
tenn besides the earth.
Result of Observations
So far as the Flagstaff work goes the
director has already reported on the OBJ
servations on Mars as follows:
1.-THE opposition has been productive Of
increased knowledge of the planets con-
stitution by the revelation of detail hith'
erto unseen. This, while extending oul
acquaintance with the planet, has beer
completely corroborative OF what hac
previously been learned there.
1.-THE southern polar cap is now in pro
cess of melting, and the northern one O.
making Although about of the same siz,
at the present moment, the aspect of thu
two is quite different. In this connection
the detection of a difference in their color
is significant. While the south polar car
is white, with a faint yellowish tinge, the
north polar cap is distinctly blueish. Thi.
difference in hue is what freshly faller
snow on new made Ice would present, as
compared with that which had been long
subjected to weathering and dust. The
observation is therefore confirmatory OF
what has again and again been stated OF
the substance composing them
THE canals proper to this season of the
Marian year have been seen in due
course, and some new faint ones discov-
cred The same has been true of the
GASES.
"As to the photographs of the Planet
Mr. Lampland has already sec Lred prints
exceeding in definiteness of detail those
secured in the last opposition. They con-
firm in a very remarkable manner the
visual details seen on the same date, and
are now being enlarged, with a view to
publication.
Expedition Makes Report
a,,A
by this observatory has already been
heard from, reporting most satisfactory
success. The expedition. which Is in
charge Of Prof. Geld, took with it the 49,
inch glass of the Amherst observatory,
made by Clark; 3k-inch made by Pet
itidier, and camera apparatus constructed
in duplicate of that used here, to be
worked by E. c. Slipher, who was care
fully drilled by MIR. Lampland before set
ting out in the peculiar technique OF this
new branch of photography. The results
have proved all that could be wished.
Cables have been received saying that
both canals and GASES have already been
photographed there"
These photographs will go long way
to settle the question of life on Mars, for
no one doubts that If the canals really
exist they cannot be ascribed to any
physical cause, their marked geometrlcal
arrangement compelling the belief that
they are artificial and the work OF intel
ligent beings.
Why the supposed Martians should have
made these tremendous canals is only APP
parent when we remember that the only
water on Mars exists as snow at the
poles, ard when in the summer time on
Mars this snow melts. the only method by
which the inhabitants can utilize it In
other regions is by conducting 1t thithel
by artificial channels.
Prof Lester Ward has recently
summed the matter up y pointing out
that Mars has probably been peopled fol
over twenty million years. compared tc
the 100000 years man has existed on the
earth. There" he says, 1--WE see race
of vast antiquity and supreme wisdom
clinging desperately to the place of its
birth, boarding up every drop of it's pre-.
cious water, but doomed In the compare.
lively near future to face lingering
death on a dying world.''