New Britain herald., 1922-06-28
Smithsonian Professor Believes
 Many Planets to be Uninhabited

The light on Venus Is l,l that of the earth; spectroscopic observations of star light and analyses Of star ma terials fallen upon the earth, show that the stars are composed of exact | Iy the same components as the earth. Therefore, two conditions are fulfilled on Venus,
 Water vapor and water clouds are temperatures: the water vapor in earth's atmosphere seem to be respon- sible for maintaining our temperature fully so degrees F. of what 1t would be, IT, notwithstanding the ab- sence of clouds, the sun shone no more intensely on the earth It re- mains to be proved by scientists that moisture conditions essential to life prevail on Venus,
 Cloud Prevents Discovery. The only obstacle to deciding for ever the habtability of Venus is her ever surrounding envelope of cloud There has never been absolute proof that the surface of Venus has ever been seen by an earthly observer, the article states. Many observers have claimed to have penetrated to the planets surface but no decisive proofs have been offered, This fact alone, says Dr. Abbot seems sufficient to render disputative observations tend ling to show that the rotation of Venus about its axis is equal to her period Of revolution about the sun,
 Were this a fact, scientists claim, one face Of the planet would ever be turned toward the life giving sun, with the result that that half would be constantly in blistering heat, while the other would be in extremest cold.
 However, Dr. Abbot declares the high rehecting power of Venus. 6 bout so per cent, demands apparently the existence of clouds and these clouds can hardly be of other substance than water. If it were a fact that the rotation period of Venus were equal 10 it's period of revolution all the water would be distilled from the hot side to the cold, and these clouds would disappear.
 Rotation Period.
 Deciding the period of rotation is at present dependent upon spectros- copic observations and they are not competent to indicate more than that the period of rotation is large as compared to our day They are not accurate enough to show that the per- iod of rotation is 225 days. equal to the year of Venus, but it may be anything above ten terrestrial days. AS for the reported observation of markings upon the planet, which are said to rotate in 225 days, this ob- servation can only be regarded with the greatest doubtfulness, is Dr. Ab- bots conclusion.
 He notes that spectroscopic studies by the scientist, St. John, tend to throw doubt on the existence of water vapor in the atmosphere of Venus. His observations have shown few, if any water lines in the spectrum of the planet. If this were so, and the clouds are not water clouds, habtabil- it yof Venus would be an improbabil- ity, Dr. Abbot says. It is difficult, how ever, he states, to understand the high rehecting power if clouds are absent.
 pr. Abbot, believes, however, that the absence of water lines in the spec tra of St. John, is the result of the light being reflected from the clouds, back to earth, through such a thin envelope of water vapor as to render invisible the water vapor lines. This possibility coincides both views and further experiments are to be con- ducted this summer to that end,
 If the clouds on Venus are water clouds then. Dr. Abbot concludes. conditions of temperature and mois- ture on Venus are very similar to those upon this earth and our sister planet lacks no essential to habitabil- itY