Omaha daily bee., 1919-10-19

Astronomers and meteorologists
OF the whole world are tremendous
ly interested in the balloon trip to
be made $4,000 feet into the air from
Fort Omaha by Prof. David Todd,
the noted American astronomer, in
an attempt to signal to the planet
Mars.
Notable experiments and explora-
tions of the upper air from balloons
have been made by the United States
Weather bureau. July 80, 1918. it
sent up from Avalon, Catalina
Island, balloons with recording in
struments which reached the enor-
nous and American ecord-breaking
height of 32,643 meters, or 20H
miles. It was also at the famous
Lowell observatory at Flagstaff,
Ariz., that the late Prof. Percival
Lowell spent more than 10 years
studying the planet Mars, reaching
his famous and much-debated con-
illusions that Mars is inhabited, that
the intelligent beings there are fight
ing for life, as their planet is des-
ert plain without oceans or other
natural water bodies, all Of which
have evaporated.
"A World A-thirst."
The inhabitants Of Mars, which
Prof. Lowell calls "a world a-thirst,"
have, therefore, the astronomer
Lowell declared, constructed huge
network of waterways or canals.
connecting the centers of popula
ton north and south. with the polar
caps, to get the melting SHOWS to
furnish the necessary water to crops
and vegetables and stave off the
final drying up Of the planet. Wis
iting astronomers to Mt. Wilson
observatory, Pasadena. have also
taken photographs there of Mars
from the 60-inch telescope, and as
soon as the new 100-inch telescope
on Mt. Wilson is completely assem-
bled and in working order it is ex-
pected that other specialists on
Mars will visit there and take other
photographs and observations. This
is the largest and best equipped as
Economical laboratory in the world.
The staff of the observatory itself,
though interested in all forms of
astronomical research. are primarily
concerned with studying the COM
position of the sun, and to the SCI
entihc world the Lowell observa-
tory at Flagstaff has been consid-
cred the foremost Mars laboratory
for the study of the most interest
ing of the worlds planet neighbors.
For. though Mars is 35.00000O
miles away at its closest point. it
has always possessed great inter-
est for astronomers, first, because
the seasonal changes on Mars are
not unlike those on the earth: sec
ond, because the planet, though one
fourth the size, is much Older than
the earth, and, says Prof. Lowell,
'the struggle for existence in the
Mars decreptitude and decay would
tend to evolve intelligence to cope
with circumstances growing mo-
mentarily more and more adverse
here"
Biggest Balloon in World.
Professor Todd's great attempt to
communicate with Mars will take
place this fall, according to the an
nouncement made by A. Leo
Stevens, United States balloon in
structor at Fort Omaha. The bal
loon will be the largest ever made.
and will be piloted by Mr.. Stevens.
who is one Of the pioneer balloon
lists of the country. Mr.. Stevens
says the balloon will be divided into
two compartments, the upper one
containing hydrogen gas and the
lower one fresh air. Professor
Todd, who has visited all parts Of
the world in order to study Mars
under the best possible conditions,
has, Mr.. Stevens says, constructed a
special signalling apparatus to use
in his efforts to talk to Mars.
To Penetrate Vacuum.
The experiment of Professor
Todd is extremely interesting, as
Professor Todd is an astronomer of
standing in the scientific world. If
he reaches a height of $4,000 feet
he will be the first person to have
gone that far into the upper air.
though DIR Berton reached height
of six and one-half miles (34.320
feet),) and we have an airplane rec
ord of so, 500 feet made on January
2 last, at Dayton.
Professor Todd at $4,000 feet
should experience a temperature of
S. degrees below zero. 1t is per-
fectly possible to stand this. how
ever, in a balloon, with heating
foods, etc. The air, of course grows
thinner as we go upward, so that at
the height the balloons reached OF
201l niles, there was recorded a
thinness of air which might be called
4 vacuum. At height of $4,000
feet, Professor Todd, as he Of course
knows and has planned, will need
tanks of oxygen in order that he
may breathe for any length Of time.
Above Dust and Clouds.
The experiment will be awaited
with interest, and by making it Prof.
Todd doubtless desires to escape
the dust particles existing in the
lower air: also reaching region
free of clouds and from radiation.
These advantages, it must be re-
marked, are relatively of little inn
portance compared to the limited ia
cilities a balloon would afford for
actual work of signalling. 1t would
seem, all things considered, more