Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-15
UNABLE TO SAY
LIFE EXISTS ON
PLANET MARS
ASTRONOMER GIVES RESULT
OF OBSERVATIONS
WATER ,APoR BELIEVED SLIGHT
IN MARIAN WORLD
Noted Scientist Claims Biologists Must
Determine Whether Beings Can
or Do Live on Red
Star
IBy Associated Press.l ]


NAN JOSE, Sept. 14.-Director w.
y w. Campbell of Lick observatory,
~ has Just completed a synopsis of
the result of the expedition from Lick
observatory to Mt. Whitney, the high
est point of land in the United States.
The expedition was made possible
by the generosity of William H.
Crocker, regent of the University of
California.
Director Campbell says: 1T had for
its purpose to study the question OF
water vapor in the atmosphere OF the
planet Mars. The instruments con-
sisted of a siXteen-inch horizontal re-
f1ecting telescope and suitable spec
troscope. The observations, made the
nights of September l and September
2, were mainly Photographic.
water vapor in the atmosphere of
any planet causes dark bands to be
found at certain definite positions IN
the spectrum of that planet, consplcu-
Gus bands, if the water vapor is aound-
ant. inconspicuous bands if the guam
tity is slight, as this, the only method
known, is not a sensitive one.
Look Through Earth's Atmosphere
"The observer of Mars must look
up through the earths atmosphere;
and the great quantity of water vapor
in our atmosphere, If the observer Is
near sea level or at ordinary attitudes,
blots out the effect of any Martian
vapor, making solution of the prob
lem impossible.
"By ascending Mt Whitney, alti-
tude 1851 feet. the Crocker expedi-
ton placed itself above probably four
ffths or more of the earth's water
vapor. Further, the air on Mt. Whit
ney was astonishingly dry during the
time of the observations. With the
barometer II "a inches, air tempera-
ture % degrees Fahrenheit, and wet
thermometer II degrees, students or
the atmosphere will recognize the OBJ
servers of Mars were looking through
remarkably little terrestrial water
vapor.
"Even this small quantity would be
almost fatal to success, If we did not
have fairly satisfactory method of
eliminating it's effect as follows; Our
moon has no appreciable atmosphere.
The lunar and Martian spectrum will
be effected alike by the water Vapor
in the earth's atmosphere.
spectra Photographed
"These spectra are photographed, one
! Immediately after the other. while the
/ conditions in our atmosphere remain
unchanged, and with the moon and
Mars at the same altitude above the
horizon SO that their rays traverse
equal paths in our atmosphere. If the
vapor bands in the Martian spectrum
are found to be stronger than in the
| lunar spectrum, Mars has water vapoI
| In considerable quantities. If the
| bands in the two spectra are equally
strong, water vapor on Mars does not
exist in sufficient quantities to be de-
/ tected by the spectroscope method.
''The latter condition was found TO
/ exist. when this method was applied
under the superlatiyely favorable con-
ditions existing on Mount Whitney
Both spectra were photographed when
Mars and the moon were near the
horizon, again when they were at
medium attitudes, and finally when
they were 40 degrees above the
| horizon.
spectra Bands Faint
1.-THE best yapor band, tech
nically called Little A. was faint in
both speetra when the bodies were
low. fainter when the bodies were
higher, and very faint when the bodies
were at their highest; but for equal
attitudes the Little A bands in the
Martian AMI lunar spectra were equal
ly intense; plainly signifylng the OBJ
served bands were due to water vapor
In the eartA atmosphere dpoNS Tic
summit of Mount Whitney.
This does not mean that Mars has
no water vapor, but only that the
| quantity present If any, must be very
slight. Let us recall we see Mars by
reflected sunlight The rays which
reached our instruments .passed from
the sun into the Martian atmosphere
| for the most part down to the surface
Of the planet and then out again tc
US, thus passing twice through the
planets atmosphere and any water
Vapor it may contain. Even with this
multiplying effect on Mars, the vapor
bands in the Martian and lunar spec
! ira are alike and we conclude that
anv water vapor in the Marian
atmosphere must have been much less
extensive than was contained in the
rarifled and remarkably dry air strata
| above Mount whitney
! These observations do not prove that
life does not or cannot exist on Mars.
The question OF life under these con
| ditions is the biolist's problem rath-
er than the astronomers"