Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-25

J,ns 10 at 10 A. NJ. daylight -sav-
ins time). The hour will be differ
.nt. Of course. for other spots on the
sarth's surface. During this opposi
zion Il Is expected that observations al
M Wilson will be taken, which, on
account Of the large size Of the new
telescope, may well reveal hitherto un.
inown data about Mars"
Light Conditions Good
The reason why the planets opposi
Non affords such a good opportunity
for observation ts that at that time,
h,ins almost exactly on the other side
Al The earth from the sun, the suns
Se,s are reflected directly back from
its surface toward the earth. thus Oh
tnininp the maximum power and intcn :
sity, and making the ruddy planet par
ticuarly bright and distinct.
mot only will this be splendid
opportunity for observation on account
Tthe opposition Of Mars" continued
Mr, Matos. but this particular oppo-
Etion will occur at time when the two
planets are unusually close to each
other. thus making observation doubly
easy.
'The average distance between the
two planets when they swing into OPP
position to each other in their orbits
il about As. .6OO. 900 miles. This varies.
sometimes being as much as $4,000. 900
miles and at the closest only 30. .O00. 900
miles. the closest the earth and Mars
can ever approach. This time there
will be- 42.3O0. 400 miles between them
s they como into opposition.
With the astronomer A.. 800 900 miles
shrink to nothing when compared with
The distances of some Of the spiral nebu-
lac, which are so far off that their light
takes thousands upon thousands of
years to reach MS. whereas the light
from Mars is but four or five minutes
10 reaching the earth.
( Dealing In Large Figures
Slight travels nt the rate Of 1S6. 400
miles second" Mr.. Matos explained {:
there are sixty seconds in n minute,
hours in q day and 365 days in a year.
Now multiply this total by about GO. 900
and you will have a figure representing
the number of miles away these star
clusters are.
"Such figures nra to large to use even
10 astronomical calculations. of course.
lhViNlvCt. IHt Is IOICCu w
compute the distances Of the furthest
bodies in terms of light years. or the
distance a ray of light can travel in a
year.
80 distant are the spiral nebulae,
island univcrscs. complete universcs in
themselves. utterly removed from ours
and all others.
In nfhpr unrlr hainr
moved to one of the spiral nebulae. and
looking up into the sky. would see our
universe. including all the stars and
planets which we sec in our sky Tex
elusive of the npbuae them.elves). as a
misty blur of luminosity such as we see
when we train our telescope upon the
spilal ncbulae."
This conception. together with the
ewe.inspiring thought that the light
nom such bodies has been GO 900 years
IN reaching us. and that we see them
only as they were 10000 years ago,
long before the dawn OF history, in
spiles feeling Of almost ncighborly fa-
mlnarlty with Mars. The latter, SO to
speak. is right next door.
EYER since the discovery by Schia.
parlii Of the "canali." or channels
popularly called Canals" upOn the
sutiace OF Mars, there has been specu-
MMtion as to the existence of intelligent
liie upon that planet.
Lhe fact they extend for hundreds of
mi. mlles In straight lines across the Mar
usn surfaces. often joining Mt central
bc!sts' has led many observers, notably
uIot u Lowell, Of Harvard. to be-
1--WE mat these marks are great irri-
saioh canals. constructed by the inhab.
san's t.a 10 conserve their supply of mois-
Former Theory Dispr0ved
,,. lhey hav" at least served to dis.
Mo,' IN" theory. held as late as 1879.
W,"al th"r" are lead and sea areas On
n s' ,or the canals cross the supposcG
ocean' said Mr.. Matos.
Mars has its po'ar snow cans. lust
e. a. 'ne earth has. and rs matter Of
h,.ui Tue temperature of Mars, being
,.. .n'r away from the sun, Is an
snd..'ap'y colder. The theory has been
na,ahced nad that the frost dcposits at the
tt rU.es Nre really frozen carbon dioxide
water" '@" :" '"arse soaa
o mars differs from the humdrum old
tho s. N many interesting ways. In
aImos.r mrst place. the Marian year is
ono 'oSl 'wiCe rs long ms the oarthl,
arc ' ',Is pIclns GS1 days. although its days
two,t tuoout IN" same in duration. / o.
u,sa 'iour hours. thirty seven min.
Yves and 22.G7 seconds.
M'Vlty Is not 80 potent n forcc On
beir" Us more, and human being, upon
pIans, transported suddenly to that
, ras.w would experience some embar.
,roSn% meht In keeping himself on the
,,a.I Also' if there is no atmospbcro N
ever OF on Mars. the Marian .kv
seno ~ the daytime, must present n
rrc,t a aucn 'ik" ours at night, with =.
sky. is Ieautiful blue color of our own
SUM- du' to the diffraction OF tho
Tbua' 'aEs IN our atmosphere.
dav nus lhe surface of Mar, durinc tho
kesrch,1uld hM,ould be III as BY an enormous
les ~ f'Sht and all the heavenly hnI
would ,he usual nocturnal Familiarity
BY WIZ ,n De visible. except thoSr hidIen
" 'he sun itself. ''''' "'"'c"
., Most v:riable Of Planets
plans,ssr srS Is the most variable Of nj, ,be
Of Mc,om ~ .ls orbit. with the excention
earth rth;.eury, said Mr.. Mato,. !.Tbn
tIs Is third in order of JIs,anc. from
~ sun. and Mars il, four,h eS o,un, nrcn
n = oro's waich immediately In.