The Detroit times., 1914-09-01
MARS CANALS
ARE REAL and
LIFE POSSIBLE
Harvard Astronomer Contradicts
His Famous Brothers Opinion
on Subject
BROTHER CHARLES
TAKES OPPOSITE VIEW
Two Famous Astronomers AID.
vance Arguments to Prove
Their Pet Theories

BOSTON. aug. S1.-Professor Wi
liam Henry Pickering. Harvard "a
want, star saxer and brothe: IF Ed
ward Charles Pickering. head of the
astronomical department at Harvard
university, haz taken issue with his
brother and suddenly reused con-
troversy among astronomers that
promises to be worldwide through q
statement confirming Professor Per
cival Lowell's theories that the ca
mails Of Mars are a reality and that
they can be plainly seen under proper
conditions.
Professor Pickering Is In charge Of
the Harvard expedition to Jamaica,
where at the Kingston observatory his
study Of Mars surface is now going
on.
In contradiction to his brother Ed
ward, who states that Mars as being
inhabited by intelligent life is Joke
among astronomers, Professor Will
liam In HIS interesting discussion and
deductions drawn from studies now
being made advances three theories
on the assumption that the canals are
artificial and points out the difficulty
OF explaining these theories II the
markings be natural.
ITO the direct question often asked:
Is Mars inhabited by intelligent be-
ingsy we must reply simply, possible
but not proven" ne now says.
In his discussion of the planet ca
mails. Professor William Pickering
says:
1.-THE canals have been seen at this
station Livingston, Jamaica), with the
11-inch refractor. When well seen
they can be held by the eye. The
main cause OF the controversy re-
garding them h, that In northern lati.
tudes where most OF the large tele-
scopes are located. the seeing Ia not
sufficiently good to show them well.
and their existence therefore contin.
nes to be doubted In some quarters.
Another cause of doubt depends on
the mistaken idea still held by the
public and also by many astronomers
that the larger the telescope the more
You can see with It, II the seeing were
good enough or II the objects were
very faint this would be obviously
true.
The statement once made In a joke
that the 40-inch Yerkes lens Is too
powerful to show the canals of Mars
10 literally true. There are too many
air waves constantly passing in front
OF Its great surface to permit OF the
necessary planetary definition. In our
northern states the best results on
q good night can be obtained with an
eight-inch aperture"
In this latter statement Professor
takes exception to his broth
er Edwards argument aimed at Pro
fessor Lowell's canal theory In q
statement made last November. Pro
fessor Edward Pickering said then:
AT the Mount Wilson observatory,
Cal, the workers have not
discovered the canals which Profess
sor Lowell ascribes to the surface OF
Mars and at Mount Wilson the work
is carried on with 40inch telescope
aperture under the most favorable
conditions while the telescope at Flag
stan (Lowell's telescope, has only a
24-inch aperture"
Continuing, Professor william Pick
ering says:
I'VE see (from these studies) that
the Mars canals are fairly uniform
structures. 1000 to 1900 miles in
length and $50 miles In breadth and
are consequently quite unlike any
thing existing upon the earth. They
cannot for instance, be sinuous, like
our rivers, nor taperinE nor com
posed Of dots accidentally, located SO
as to produce on US the impression
Of continuous line.
"On the other hand we cannot say
with certainty what the outlines Of
the finer canals are really like or
they are single or double. Az
there are canals of varying intermedi-
ate grades, however, II seems fair to
assume that all are Of the same gen.
eral structure and all fairly uniform
IN shape. We may note one differ-
ence. All the larger and more conspicu-
QUE canals are curved. The fainter
ones usually appear straight"
Professor William Pickering de-
clares that he believes the Marian
canals are due to vegetation. mo
other explanation seems possible
when we stop to consider the subject"
he says.
"It does not seem possible that the
lunar (moon) canals can be artificial,
but the Marian canals act differently
from them, IL we may so express Il.
In their unnatural conduct, some APP
pearing during one Marian year and
others during another In the same
season. They act. indeed, almost as
n there were some guiding intelli-
gence behind them.
Their Uniform breadth, straight
ness and occasional circular or clip
teal forms are waived as arguments
because. perhaps. they are not really
quite as regular as they appear and
because we find something very simi.
lar upon the moon. II n to their
changes that we should especially d.
rect our attention and regarding
which future observers should secure
all possible data
THE Marian atmosphere. as far az
It's permanent constituents are con.
cerned, we know TO be more or less
rarehed. The amount Of water vapor
II contains, on the other hand, In
the presence OF ice or water, depends
exclusively upon the temperature.
when the polar caps are melting
and the large liquid surfaces pre-
sent themselves In the marshes, the
may at ordinary ,terres-
teral temppratures be compoaod A.,