Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-25
SCIENCE AFTER MARS
Study of the Planet Through
Powerful Telescopes.
VIEW OF ITS SATELLITES
Astronomers Hopeful Of Securing
Valuable Information.
CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE
Advantage Taken Of Brilliant
Spheres Approach to Earth.
What Has Been Learned.
CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE

Mysterious Mars. the red planet. most
interesting of the many unsolved prob
lens Of the heavens. is only thirty-five
million miles from the earth. just now.
AS this is fifteen million miles closer
than usual, and as Mars doesn't pay
these visits very often, astronomers all
over the world have their telescopes
trained on the planet. hoping that before
these conditions. 50 favorable for observa-
ton, come to an end, and the planet
starts on the back track through bound
less space, for the other end Of It's or
bit, discoveries Of Importance will result.
At the Naval Observatory here. where
Prof. Asaph Hall. jr.. son OF the astrono-
mer who first perceived the satellites of
Mars, presides over the big twenty-six-
inch telescope. dozens of visitors have
sa1ed through the magic tube at the
planet. But 1t was impossible to accom-
modate all those who wanted Just a
little look"
Prof Hall and his associates have been
busy since the Goth of August measuring
the two moons of Mars, and they will
continue on this one job for another
the many things they are studying dur
ing this brief journey Of the planet to
the nearer vicinity of the earth. They
are studying the polar caps, the famous
sons-all Of the phenomena which make
Mars SO important from an astronomi-
cal standpoint.
Conditions Favorable.
The planet, Just at this time. is fairly
high on the horizon. and it is confidently
expected that excellent observations will
be recorded Of the surface markings and
the polar caps. The satellites are rather
close to the planet and astronomers say
that some remarkable disturbances exer-
cised by the planet. including curious
parallelizing effects. have already been
noted. To observers studying different
portions of Mars the inner moon appears
In quite different positions In the sky.
The inner moon, which Is in the glare
Of the planet most of the time, occupies
luton. while the planet itself is a slow
mover. turning on its axis in about TWEEN
ty-three hours. This is one Of the unique
features Of the solar system. According
to scientists. accepting the nebular n.y.
pothesis. 1t is probable that this satellite
was once a part Of the planet and that
the total mass revolved in a shorter time
Observations show the inner moon is
quite bright as soon as 1t gets a little
away from the glare Of the planet. The
prove of considerable value in determine
ing the mass OF Mars.
Possibility Excites Interest.
Probably the reason people in general
show SO much interest in Mars results
from the contention between astronomers
as to the possibility of It's being inhabit-
ed. Certain it is that in many ways
Mars resembles this earth. 1t has at
mosphere, seasons, land and water
storms clouds and mountains. Snow and
Ice cover both its poles and produce great
white patches at these points, and at
regular intervals these become less dis
tinct. Taken in connection with the So
called canals, this has been the basis
for the hypothesis that the planet Is in
habited by sentient beings, older in the
life OF worlds than the population Of the
earth. who. by great engineering works
for the conservation Of their natural re-
sources. are lighting a gallant but in.
evitably losing battle to sustain life on
their dying world.
The inner moon of Mars previously re-
ferred to. Is only g. 700 miles from the
it in seven hours and half, showing all
the phases Of our moon in one night. To
an inhabitant Of Mars 1t must have the
appearance of an enormous shooting star
slowing moving through the sky, and II
would certainly take the breath away If
one ever saw anything like 1t from this
earth.
Astronomers hope, while these favor
able conditions prevail. to obtain records
and photographs which will be of value
In determining more accurately conditions
on the planet. Particularly are they de-
pending upon celestial photography. in
which great strides have been made since
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