The New York herald., 1922-07-04
TODD TO TAKE MARS
IN MOTION PICTURES
Astronomer Has Special Cam
era and Mirror for Expert
ment in Bahamas.
WILL TRY 1T IN 1924
Planet Will Then Be Nearer
Earth Than 1t Has Been
in Five Centuries.
WILL TRY 1T IN 1924

Motion pictures Of Mars will be at
tempted this summer for the first time
| In the history Of astronomical research
by DR.. David Todd. emeritus professor of
astronomy and navigation at Amherst
College. at an observatory he has estab-
lished at Fort Charlotte. Nassau, the
Bahamas.
DR.. Todd who is in the city on a
short visit to collect Instruments to take
back with him to the Bahamas. talked
last night at the Murray HUI Hotel of
the work he is doing in preparation for
observing the planet in 1924. when it
will be nearer the earth than II has been
in the last five centuries. or will be for
another five hundred years.
The taking of the pictures. he ad-
mitted, was highly experimental. from
the actual mechanics of the impression
sought and from the point OF view OF
possible profit to greater knowledge
of Mars.
I'VE don't know what results we shall
have" he said. But we have had
constructed a special camera and have.
by odd chance, obtained a mirror, that
we believe justifes our undertaking the
task"
May show In Movie Houses.
The negative to be obtained by the
process will be. after three enlarge
ments, about the size of dime, or with
great good fortune. the size OF a quar-
ter. the professor declared.
Asked If the public might have an
opportunity OF seeing the pictures taken
Dr. Todd said he saw no reason why
the experiment. IL successful. should
not be brought before motion picture
house audiences.
The camera. at a cost OF S.Op has
been made by the Eastman Kodak Com
pany. The mirror the astronomer re-
ferred to was made by a Pennsylvania
clergyman, who willed 1t at his death
to the American University in Wash
ington. There 1t was that DR.. Todd
found 1t.
1t Is five feet two and half inches
In diameter and slightly concave. The
Importance Of the exact fitness of the
mirror lies In the fact. as explained by
the professor that the pictures are 20
be taken. not directly, but from the
image thrown on the mirror from the
base OF the telescope.
The actual Photographic work will be
done by James o. Sands, Nassau
photographer Others working with DR..
Todd are e. s. Zane, an engineer from
GAINESVILLE. O.. in charge Of all me-
cnan1cal Work In the construction of
the observatory and G. H. Gamblin,
manager of the local branch of the
Royal Bank of Canada, and "a good
amateur astronomer" in the words of
DR.. Todd.
Doubts Life There.
DR.. Todd is extremely dubious as to
whether the observations to be made
in 1924 will determine definitely il any
life exists on Mars. He Admitted. how
ever. that he was preJudiced on that
subject as he does not believe that any
such life as we know here can exist
on that planet
There are two main questions to be
solved" he continued. First, whether
Mars Is habitable. and, second.
whether 1t Is inhabited. My personal
opinion is that it may have harbored
plant or animal life at one time. hun
dreds OF thousands or perhaps millions
Of years ago.
The professor discounted radio COM
munication with Mars. first upon his
assumption that no life exists there to
receive a message and second because
he does not believe any apparatus could
at the present stage Of development send
so great a distance.
At this point DR.. Todd mentioned that
Mars was 63. ZOO, 900 miles from the earth,
but would be about "a, 200, 900 miles dis
tant in August, 1921 He emphasized
that then will occur the best oppor-
tunity for astronomers since the devel-
opment Of modern astronomy.