The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-20

the Associated Observers of Mars, which keeps the planet under constant sur veillance. At the time of the close ap- proach of the planet in 1920, there were reported S6 canals which had been ob- served, and located independently by two or more widely separated observa- tories. Prof. w. H. Pickering at Ja- maica, one of the mos assidous observers of Mars, insists that the coarser canals, about 15O mile wide, can be seen with a telescope as small as three inches un- der good observing conditions.
 struments of the highest power, cannot see any such systematic net work of so-called canals. It is true that they recognize the coarser workings of the Martian surface, but they cant agree with the evidence brought forth in fa- vor of great artificial canals built by intelligent beings to lead water from the melting snow caps to the equator for irrigation purposes. The best pho | tographs taken are still. too small tC confirm the details which some clain to have seen. ..,..-
 Disagree About Temperature Even when it comes siJ taking the temperature of Mars, the astronomers do not agree. Due to it's distance from the sun, Mars receives only four-ninths as much heat from the sun as does the earth, yet owing l. the fact that Mars is not wrapped up in clouds like the earth, a larger proportion of the heat reaches the surface and heats it up. The solar radiation is thought to be sufficiently intense to heat up the des- ert soil to as hot as the deserts here on earth, but when the surface rOtatee into the Martian night the lack of heat eOnfning moisture is felt and the tenn perature may drop below zero every evening even at the equator. At the poles the very air may hquify.
 Again there is controversy, Cloud like markings on Mars have been ob- served and the present of heat pre- serving blankets of water vapor has been inferred.
 The ardent friends of Mars feel con- vinced of the probability that intelligent beings, perhaps super-men, inhabit Mars.
 The more conservative scientists say /:
 Every possibly Mars supports life. But very improbably is this life abund- ant or of high order"
 At the Lowell observatory at Flag staff, Ariz., special preparations are being made to take advantage of the coming close approach of Mars to the earth. This observatory has one of the worlds finest collections of pho tographs and drawings of its surface. New Lines Of Attack
 All the usual observations will be carried out with added refinement and new lines of attack on the mystery of the planet will be pursued. Measure ments will be made of the relative brightness of the planets surface to determine the character of the mark ings and to get more definite informa- tion of the Martian atmosphere.
 Large scale photographs will be made with the 40-inch reflecting tele- scope, using color sensitive plates ex- posed through color filters so that the color values of the different markings may be determined. These are ex- pected to give valuable information on the nature of the surface markings and the changes that they undergo.
 The heat of the surface of the planet will be measured by radiometer which will record the heat energy emitted from the surface of the planet, The temperature of the surface of course has an important bearing on the ability of the planet to support life. Measurements of the heat radia- tion were made by Dr. W. W. Co.,