Evening star., 1935-12-22
CAMERAS FOCUS
"L|NES' ON MARS
Great GeometriC Figures on
Planet Photographed.
"SnoW" Clouds Seen.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz, December al
Astronomy's modern candid cameras
have wrested new secrets from Mars,
earth'S nearest planetary neighbor,
DR.. z. C. Slipher, Lowell Observatory
astronomer, reported today.
DR.. Slipher said new Photographic
technique had given him convincing
proof great geometric lines really exist
on Mars. Scientists have argued
whether these lines, heretofore less
plainly diScerned, are irrigation canals
dug by Martian inhabitants.
Observation Of yellowiSh white
clouds which appeared to be dust
storms has been made possible by the
Photographic advances, which include
modern ray filters and color sensitive
film amulsions, the scientist said.
Slipher has studied Mars, some 5o.-
100000 miles away, for 30 years and
photographed it about 100000 times.
Compared with the earth, he said,
Mars is hard put for air and water
but has enough Of these and enough
sunlight to produce vegetation. This
in turn might support other forms Of
life, even intelligent beings, he said.
Smaller Than Earth.
The red planet is about 141 900 900
miles from the sun and is considera-
bly, smaller than the earth.
Here are his conclusions, based on
recheck of previous studies by him.
self and others, and upon recent meas
urements of the temperature at the
surface at Mars made here by DR..
W. w Coblentz, physicist for the
United States Bureau of Standards:
l. The Mars day is 81 minutes long
er than earth'S. The year is 687
earth days In terms of earth days,
Martian Spring has 1879, Summer 183,
Autumn lat, Winter 15S.
2. Spectrophotographs show water
vapor exists and the quantity has been
measured; therefore the snowy white
polar caps of Mars. which diminish
each Summer, are probably snow
which melts and provides moisture
for vegetation. Great areas which
turn dark bIue-green in Summer may
be covered by this vegetation. Blush
white clouds appear to be dust storms.
3. Temperature of the brightly il
Illuminated surface Of Mars is not un-
like that of a cool, bright day on
earth, ranging from IS to 65 degrees.
4. The geometric lines, concerning
which scientists have disagreed, do
exist. They undergo seasonal changes
in harmony with the theory that they
are areas of vegetation fed by water
from the melting polar caps. The
vegetation theory is the most tenable
explanation formulated to account for
them.
Conservation Suspected.
5. Whether these areas of vegeta-
ton border canals made by intelligent
beings trying to conserve and use the
diminishing waters of the planet is q
subject for theorists. The lines seem
to be on too enormous scale for ac-
ceptance of the intelligent life and
canal theory; but the drying up pro-
cess on Mars has come very gradually
during cons of time and an intelligent
race trying to preserve its life might
have made them.
Slipher said the new Photographic
methods have gone far TO confirm
what astronomers have believed they
saw through telescopes concerning
these lines, but added that photo
graphs are still imperfect. The oscil-
lation Of the image, caused by varia-
tions and movement in the atmos-
phere of earth, prevents sharp delinea-
ton.