Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1921-11-02
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 20 Read
SKY Seeret-chiiean
Venture Derided.


New York.-The secret 81 Mars may
be read IN 1924 when the red planet
makes its closest approach % earth.
although astronomers are skeptical Of
the theory ~ Marooni that the Mar
tians are signaling Us by wireless,
and take no stock In the G0-fO0t whirl-
Ing dish II quicksilver which II Is
promised will magnify the power OF
vision 10 o5OO0.OO0 times its normal
strength.
In 1874 Mars viii come within about
B5UOO.O10 miles IL the earth. Be
cause - its eccentric orbit. compared
O. the more nearly circular one 81 the
earth. Mars approaches that close only
once In fifteen years.
Ia Lgo4 ObscryHtories win be much
better equipped g. study Mars than
they were la l901. when the planet last
uppca'ed az its biggest and reddest In
our SKY. In 1928 Mars viii be the
cyunf1re IL telescopes all over the
cart, The 1OO-lnch Hooker telescope
az SIT Wilson. and the marvellous
instruments and methods FOR analyz-
iug light which are In use there. may
dcdAitely solve the question whether
Mars Is inhabited
A. the distaroe ~ Mars from the
earta varies from 35.0p0Oc0 TO 2Si,-
CCOnlO miles. the wireless signals from
that planet. 81 there are any. viii have
n tptter chance 10 register In 1924
over the comparatively brief span Of
S5.O00OoO miles.
These Signals" From Mars
For the last ~ years Mars has
tecn reported frequently 20 be at
tempting 20 signal 10 us by wireless
rays. BY flashes - light. and even. ac-
corsting 20 soEse imaginative specu-
latists. Is writing sign messages 81
planet wide size over the attitudes by
means 81 the Mars canal system. II
has even been suggested that we ac-
knowledge receipt by forming words
IN vegetation over the blank OF the
Sahara desert.
The Marcoui wireless communion
zion theory Is more plausible than
any ~ the others. because that great
inventor reports that he has picked
up wireless waves leo miles long.
while tire greatest produced on earth
hy artificial means are about ten
snIles long. Many ways Of explain
ing this have occurred 20 skeptIcs. but
the Marcuni signals have more In
them % interest conservative scIen-
lists than any ~ the previous types.
There was a sensation In 1900 when
o. was reported that signaling from
Mars had been detected az the Lowell
cSservatory az Flagstaff. Ariz. This
Naas based GA a misunderstanding OF
O telegraph message concerning some
projected lights over the rim II Mars.
Instead - presenting a perfect out
Tine. Mars showed slight exerescences
81 light. These were calculated 20
he from IL 10 - miles above the sur
face ~ the planet.
Similar Projections From Moon.
similar isolated projections ~ light
had been seen On the moon. but this
was easily discovered % he the sun
tght tipping the mountain tops. an
effect visible On earth IN mountain
Gus couutry when the risin- sun gilds
TIE SUBMITS when the lower parts
az the mountains and the valleys are
Sin in darkness.
But Mars has uo mountains. ac-
cording 90 EeneTal agreement among
Observers Il was believed also 10 be
elmost cloudiess- The occasional
tiEh liEhts. however. are now agreed
o. have been clouds which are thought
a. cccur. though somewhat rarely.
Electric currents which apparently
wander through eternity hlt the earth
here and there. causing a mysterious
Kissing anc cracklinE In wireless ap-
Taratus and sometimes upSettIng hu-
man electrical contrivances. IS the
great magnetic storm ~ last May did