The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-12-14
SCIENCE SEEKS
SECRET OF MARS
Star SIeuths Prepare to Solve
Mystery When Planet Is
Nearest in 1924.
MANY THEORIES ADVANCED
Scientific Eyes to Strain at Telescopes
and Wireless to Be Tried to Read
Sky Secret-Chican
Venture Derided

New York.-The secret of Mars ma
/ be read In 1924 when the red plane
I makes its closest approach to earth
although astronomers are skeptical 0
the theory of Marconi that the Mar
! tlans are signaling us by wireless
and take no stock in the 6O-foot whirl
ing dish of quicksilver which 1t il
promised will magnify the power o
vision to 25,0OO,O0O times its norma
strength.
In 1924 Mars will come within abou
100000 miles Of the earth. Be
cause of its eccentric orbit, compared
to the more nearly circular one Of the
earth, Mars approaches that close only
once in fifteen years.
In 1924 observatories will be much
better equipped to study Mars thar
they were in 1909, when the planet last
appeared at its biggest and reddest In
our sky. In 1924 Mars will be the
cynosure Of telescopes all over the
earth. The 1OO-inch Hooker telescope
at Mt. Wilson, and the marvellous
instruments and methods for analyz-
ing light which are in use there, may
definitely solve the question whether
Mars is inhabited.
AS the distance of Mars from the
earth varies from 35OOO,O0O to 1884,
100000 miles, the wireless signals from
that planet, If there are any, will have
better chance to register in 1924
over the comparatively brief span Of
100000 miles.
Those signals" From Mars.
For the last 20 years Mars has
been reported frequently to be at
tempting to signal to us by wireless
rays, by flashes of light, and even, ac-
cording to some imaginative specu-
latists, by writing sign messages Of
planet-wide size over the ATTITUDES by
means of the Mars canal system. 1t
has even been suggested that we ac-
knowledge receipt by forming words
in vegetation over the blank of the
Sahara desert
The Marconi wireless communica-
tion theory is more plausible than
any of the others, because that great
inventor reports that he has picked
up wireless waves 100 miles long,
while the greatest produced on earth
by artificial means are about ten
miles long. Many ways of explain
ing this have occurred to skeptics, but
the Marconi signals have more in
them to interest conservative scien-
lists than any Of the previous types.
There was a sensation In 1900 when
it was reported that signaling from
Mars had been detected at the Lowell
observatory at Flagstaff, Ariz. This
was based on a misunderstanding OF
a telegraph message concerning some
projected lights over the rim of Mars.
Instead of presenting a perfect out
line, Mars showed slight excrescences
of light. These were calculated to
be from II to 80 miles above the sur
face of the planet.
Similar Projections From Moon.
Similar isolated projections of light
had been seen on the moon, but this
was easily discovered to be the sum
light tipping the mountain tops, an
effect visible on earth In mountain
GUS country when the rising sun gilds
the SUBMITS when the lower parts
Of the mountains and the valleys are
till in darkness.
But Mars has no meuntains, &C
cording to general agreement among
observers. 1t was believed also to be
almost cloudless. The occasional
high lights, however, are now agreed
to have been clouds which are thought |
to occur, though somewhat rarely.
Electric currents which apparently |
wander through eternity hit the earth |
here and there, causing mysterious
kissing and cracking In wireless ap-
paratus and sometimes upsetting hui
man electrical contrivances, as the
great magnetic storm Of last May did
On an unprecedented scale. Such cur
rents, called "strays'' or ''atmOsphe-
rics," have been occasionally inter-
preted as signals from Mars, when
hey came with a regularity that
to be directed by human
intelligence. But they have been
shown most Enthusiastically to be con-
aected with sun spots.
The scheme, attributed TO -. OaVlO
Todd Of Amherst, a well-known as
ronomer, Of using great abandoned
nine shaft In Chile for the making Of
colossal telescope, has been the sub
ect of no little scientific discussion.
This shaft, which is said to have =
)O-foot diameter, is located near the
,quator. 1t is, therefore, In the plane
n which the earth and all the other
'lanets whirl round the sun. The
haft telescope has the disadvantage
hat it could never be shifted, and
ould only be used for that part Of
he heavens which passes over 1t. But
!. Is calculated that Mars will pass
irectly over it when 1t becomes big,
ed disk in 1924.
Many Astronomers Scott.
Many astronomers have scoffed at
le theory of such a colossal tel !
scope, alleging that If the mechAm
IL difficulties could be overcome the !
normous magnification sought would