Evening star., 1909-04-21
Scientists Doubt Practicability
of Pickering Project.
DR.. JOHN HEDRICK'S VIEWS
Georgetown University Astronomer
Sees Several Difficulties.
PLANT NOT Equal TO PURPOSE
No Common Language to Exchange
Ideas-May Be No Intelligence
on Planet.

i
posed inhabitants OF the planet Mars, as
proposed by Prof William Henry Picker
ing OF Harvard, is not regarded seriously
by Rev. DR.. John Hedrick director OF the
observatory Of the Georgetown University
Prof. Pickering estimates that 1t would
cost about $4,000, 900 to build q signal
plant The essential features would be a
mirror about quarter Of q mile square
| and series Of gigantic refiectors by
| which sunlight signals could be sent from
earth to the distant planet.
It has been suggested that the coming
summer would be the best time for the
experiment. as Mars would be then only
about 35,OOO.OOO miles from the earth,
| which is 100000 miles nearer than the
planet usually approaches.
Views Of DR.. Hedrick.
Dr. Hedrick said he did not regard the
scheme seriously It is doubtful. he says,
whether even such a plant would convey
noticeable flashes that distance. There Is
no real assurance. he points out. that
there are highly intelligent inhabitants OF
Mars, though that is Of course possible.
And there is no common basis OF COM
munication, SO that even Il the nashes
were sent, seen and answered there would
be no means OF either side determining
what the other side was trying to COM
municate.
When the subject of communicating with
Mars was preached to him Prof. Echel-
berger of the naval observatory said II
was a story that bobbed up periodically.
He had seen nothing Of the ,ll particular ha,
preferred to say nothing for quotation on
the subject.
Flammarion Discusses Project.
PARIS, April 21.-Prof. William Henry
Pickering's idea Of communicating with
Mars with signals flashed by ten-mil-
lion-dollar set Of mirrors IL treated with
amused skepticism by the general body
OF astronomers now in Paris attending
the international congress to map the
heavens.
The Harvard observer believes that
such signals are possible when the planet
shall approach within 35OO0.O0O miles OF
the earth, or 100000 miles nearer than
ever before.
M. Ballaud. director Of the Paris OBJ
servatory, doubts the seriousness OF the
NJ. Camille Flammarion. however. says
that the establishment Of communication
with Mars is entirely within the bounds
of possibility.
ability that Mars is inhabited by animal
Nfe," he says, ''but the time probably
has not yet come for US successfully to
signal them. It may be that they long
have been signaling US.
Inhabitants Old in Civilization.
"An genealogical studies 60 to show
that Mars Is older and has attained a
greater development than the earth. The
Martians are probably infinitely superior
Intellectually to US, who have not yet
learned to conduct the simplest affairs,
and spend three-ouarters of our resources
in maintaining engines of destruction.
"Martians were probably trying to COM
municate with the earth millions Of
years ago, before our mammoth and cave
men period. Never having received
reply. they possibly concluded that the
earth was not inhabited by creatures OF
intelligence. In my opinion communica-
ton will not be established in our time.
but perhaps will be at a far distant day"