The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-01
ALL EYES ON MARS NOW
Star GaZers Have Fine Chance To
Study the Planet.
Especial Dispatch to the Baltimore
Sum-

Sum-
Washington, Aug. 27.-Mars has
the centre of the stage just now At
the Naval Observatory the big 26-
inch equatorial telescope is turned ev-
cry night toward the eastern heavens
Tor a look at Mars, the most attrac-
i've planet for star gazers.
Mars is just. now on it's closest visit
70 earth since the early eighties. Once
every three years Mars swings into
"hat the astronomers call close prox-
unity to the earth. although on its
nearest Visit 1t has been about 40,-
100000 miles away About once ey-
cry rs years Mars comes a few mill
lion miles closer to the earth nroh-
ably to give terrestrial mortals a
chance to revive the mystery as to
whether the planet is inhabited by in
telligent beings. Mars now rises ahoya
the eastern horizon about IL o'clock
every night at a point little to the
north of east and at about midnigbt
becomes brilliant. Its size and red
color render it easily discernible to
the naked eye. 1t will grow brigh-
ter until about the last Of September
and will grow DINNER until II gets
back to normal the early part of No
vember
Ihe big 26-inch equatorial telescope
has been for several nights past turn
ed on Mars every evening and held
tnere until dawn. 1t was through this
same 26-inch equatorial, then the
largest lens in the world, that the
late Prof. Asaph Hall in 1877 discov-
cred the two liliputian satellites Of
Mars. There is added interest because
Prof. Asaph Hall, Jr., son of the man
VINO discovered the Martian satellites.
is now on duty at the observatory and
is looking through the same 2e-,nch
equatorial at the midgets which his
father was the first to find.
These satellites are very small One
is miles in diameter, the other IA
miles through it's centre and the
smaller Of the two is a chirpy little
feilow, who does considerable mara
thoning on his own hook. as he trsy-
els around Mars once every hours
and 80 minutes. Some of the scien-
lists have an idea that the Martians
are queer little individuals of tho
Brownie type with cross eyes. Other
scientists, with a sense of humor. saw
TINS may be true, as the swift and
continuous circuits made by the
smaller Of the awo satellites must
keep the Martians spinning around
Ike tops and knock the spots out of
their eyes. On account of their small
size the satellites are not much larp-
er than pin-heads in the telescope.
and Professor Hall is making sna-
cial study of the satellites rather than
OF the larger planet. Others like DR..
Percfval Lowell. the most eminent
upholder Of the theory that Mars is
inhabited, are directing their atten-
ton to the Martian canals and other
markings OF the planet, which they
are inclined to believe indicates the
existence of life there.
Rising at IL O'clock Mars masses
across the heavens and sinks in the
west after the sun rises. It's moment
oI rising Is several minutes later ev.
cry evening, and Professor Han
spends every clear night at the eve
piece of his telescope pursuing his
observations, his assistants being
Messrs. Epps and Friedrichsen, Of the
observatory force. They work all
night and sleep in the daytime.