The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-10-22
Is VENUS INHABITED?
The Probabilities Said to Be Greater
Than in the Case of Mars.

knowledge and Sc1entlnc news.
The many speculations as to the
possible inhabitants Of Mars and
their supposed engineering works
(the so-called 'canals,' etc., have
been mooted with more or less inge,
nuity; in our opinion the probabil,
tiles in favor of the habitability OF
Venus are vastly greater. This plan
ct, says Prof. Young, is "the earth s
twin sister in magnitude, density and
general constitution
Surface markings have been seen
from time to time upon the planet
more distinctly observed in Italy
and other more favored latitudes
than our own. On account Of its
general proximity to the region OF
tho sky in which the sun is found
and it's great brilliancy in the tele,
scope, Venus is by no means an easy
object to scrutinize with satisfactory
results.
However, its phases or changes OF
appearance, like the moon, are easily
perceived with very small optical aid
and lwdre among the first fruits OF
the invention Of the telescope, eS'
actly three centuries ago. From Ger
tain Irregularities observed upon
the Termination or boundary OF the
limb and the blunted appearance OF
one of the cusps Of the crescent, va
s,ious observers have concluded tha,
there exist high mountains upon the
planets surface: Sometimes wher
the planet IS in the crescent phase
intensely bright spots have been seer
near the Polar regions which may
perhaps be ice caps like those seeI
on Mars. Darkish markings, indicating
continents and seas 'dimly visible
arr $50 at times seen, and rough
map Of Venus was made by Bian'
cbini long ago. His observations
were confirmed by thousands Of OBJ
.Servations made by De Nico and his
assistants. so may be considered to
represent real features Of the sur
face.
We have already stated that there
is evidence cf the existence Of an al
mo<phere ard from observations OF
fbe transit Of the planet across the
suns disk in 1874 it was concluded
that the atmosphere is about one and
one-half times to twice as extensive
as our own The existence Of water
raoor has been shown BY the spec
troscope.
At times the dark portion OF the
planet illuminated by the suns light
has beer family visible, from which
il mas been considered probable that
phenomena Of the nature OF the au-
Arora take place from time to time
loon Venus. So far as known the
Slanet has no satellite or moon at
endant upon it, but to a great ex-
II tent the want Of moon Is made up tol
J TO the possible inhabitants by the
earth. When Venus and the earth are
nearest. as We have already said
thew are on the same side Of the sun
and the planet, turning its dark side
toward us, is invisible, like the moon
when new. On the other hand, the
earth has the whole Of its Illuminated
SIDE turned toward the planet, IS on
the opposite part Of the sky to the
sun and is consequently visible as d
br;llian. object ('*full earthly in the
night sky Of the planet. We kno"
from t:!e phenomenon OF earth SHINE
that TIE earth reflects a considerable
quantity Of light to the moon, part
.cf whici. is again reflected back to us
and if We suppose the intrinsic re-
fecting power Of the earth's surface
10 be equal to that Of Venus ut may
indeed be. and probably Is consider,
ablv Less it must give much greater
Echt +. the planet and be 'mucI
more brilliant object in its sky thai
Venus <.ver appears to lis. OWING It
1ie following circumstances:
Wh~.. brightest only small part
= ;he planets Illuminated surface