Evening star., 1924-08-21
BY HAROLD X. PHILIPS.

ike TAKING IN New YOrK or any
other highly touted place for the
first time-a sensation of disappoint-
ment at first, due to elaborate ex-
pectations. and then silent amaze
ment as the fascinating wonders Of
another world, more than $4,000, 900
miles away. penetrate the human
wells OF understanding
AS that distant planet swung
closest to the earth that it has been
for at least $50 years, an expectant
little group of men and women
boarded the goodship Naval Obser-
vatory last night and journeyed sew
eral hundred thousand miles out into
the sparkling heavens to meet the
celestial visitor for closeup tour
of inspection.
Although no Martian populace
waved a welcome. nor did the we'll
kept banks of much discussed
canals" sweep into view, the glisten-
ing white polar cap, the plainly and
the supposedly arid deserts of that
far off wanderer were beheld with u
sharpness and distinctness that lef,
no doubt in the minds of the voy-
ayers, at least. as to their existence.
1t was just a few minutes short of
II o'clock when Prof Aseph Hall, ex-
perienced mariner of the uncharted
seas of space, met his passengers at
the Naval Observatory door and babe
them hurry If they would reach Mars
at the very minute it touches it's
closest contact with this world. His
voyagers were novices to such an
eerie journey, and it was with throb
bing hearts that they committed
themselves to his keeping.
Breath of Mystery.
There was a breath of mystery, an
awesome touch of wonder about the
things they beheld as they entered
his observatory, and, in dim half
light, beheld their trustworthy guide
the 21-inch telescope-high up in
the dome. Now. how in the world
can a person see through anything
so far out OF reach as that" was the
first Intelligent thought that ran
through the mind of one spectator.
Almost at the same minute he real
ICED that something was happening
that the stars. bright and clear
through the long slit in the roof of
the dome. flashing a welcome against
the dark blue blanket of the night,
seemed to be actually getting nearer.
There was a momentary feeling of
panic. and then the passenger real
lied that he was en- route-journey-
ing thousands and thousands of miles
out into space to meet onrushing
Mars
Electric motors were slowly and
almost silently rising the floor Of
the observatory up to the level of
the huge telescope and to the spec
tators it seemed that they really had
left this battered old globe far behind
and were soaring among the heavens
satellites. Suddenly there was a dis
tinct swishing sound, as of quickly
rushing air, the floor ceased to move
and, in the twinkling of an eye. our
ship was in position, waiting for
Mars to do its half of the journey.
Through Telexcope's Eyes.
Then, one by one. through the eyes
of the telescope, the passengers
stared for the first time in their lives
upon the wonders of a world un-
known-a world of mystery, and
doubt. and discussion. No longer
was it merely a bright, five-pointed
star, one among a million in that
vast. unmeasured space that this
world calls 1.-The sky" 1t was a
perfectly rounded globe, beautiful in
its lightly tinted colors, wonderful
in the distinctness of its lines.
At its uppermost tip the polar cap,
a vast field of dazzling white. SHIN
part of our world could no longer
see. Science claims that this field
is an Arctic mass, not unlike that of
this world, and the spectator could
not help wondering whether Mars.
too, had its Peary, or whether some
benign Providence had permitted the
modern civilization of this world
through the eyes of Galileo, to dis
cover the planets north pole ages
before some Martian explorer might
plant flag alien to this earth in its
heart.
Disappointment Ceases.
No longer were the voyagers dis
appointed by not seeing Martian races
wig-wagging messages to the earth,
nor by beholdinE clean-cut canals,
spreading through Martian farms.
They were looking into eternity. it
seemed. And who shall say what
there was on those far removed con-
tinents? They began at the very
edge of the Martian ice fields, light
almost to the planets equator. Very
faint red in color, their hot breath
seemed to scar the faces OF the watch
ers as they gaxed-silent, awed, won-
dering.
Every now and then the atmosphere
seemed to clear momentarily, and for
a brief period the outlines of the polar
regions, the continents and the mys.
terious mass that lies below them,
came to view with distinctness that
seemed almost staggering, and wrung
from the spectators unconscious shouts
of delight and amazement. But there
were yet other wonders to be viewed,
and the night was wearing on. Soon
our good ship must return to our own
world, so once more the master mari
ner-Prof. Hafi-assumed command.
Picks Satellites.
Quickly manipulating his telescope.
he picked out OF obscurity the mys-
terious little satellites OF Mars, one
1T . time. 1t was Prof. Halls father.
the late Prof. Hall, ST., who first dis
covered them for an astonished world
long years ago. They represent, 1t is
said. one of the outstanding marvels
of the heavens and still are bones of
contentious among astronomers.
1t is generally believed that once
they were part OF the planet itself.
While Mars was still q whiriing, SEMI
liquid mass Of sticky flre-millions and
millions Of years before it cooled to a
solid mass-this theory supposes they
were shot of from the star and pos
sibly are now miniature worlds ro-
tating around their mother planet just
n Mars and the earth rotate around
the sun
Phebos and Demos are the names by
which science calls them, and Prof.
Halls main work during the presence
Of the planet near the earth will be An
attempt to more accurately measure
their sizes Phebos, the inner satellite.
is now estimated to be about IS miles
in diameter, and circles the planet at
distance Of about 5000 miles. Demos.
supposed to be 10 miles in diameter,
circles it's mother planet from a dis
tance OF about 1860 mites
Visible Occas1onaIly.