| Show THE PLANET MARS THE attention of astronomers is at present directed to the planet mars mare on the ath of august this luminary will be only about thirty five million miles distant from the earth this will afford a i opportunity alt ty for taking observations which it is hoped will throw new 11 ht on many subjects about which scientists are sti still in the dark one of these is the so called can canis canals Is on mars observed by signor signer va fi keen fifteen years ago he found the surface of the planet on the northern hend hemisphere sphere marked with streaks some of which measured nearly 2000 miles in a d from fifteen to miles in width they were clearly visible at the end of the winter season as was natural enough since the cloudy atmosphere in the winter would bide them partially or totally from our view in 1881 this astronomer again directed his attention to these canals and found that many of them were double they had their parallel marks at some distance although at first he had found only one this discovery was considered very surprising and seemed at first to upset the they that theses canals are rivers on tile the planet it is ia thought however that the duplication must be some optical phenomenon and it is hoped that light will be shed on this thia subject during the present favorable opportunity for observation new discoveries are also aloo confidently looked for mars presents present conditions so an much analogous to our own planet that th the question of its being inhabited la Is hardly any longer a matter of doubt it has an atmosphere snow enow covered poles it is ia supposed volcanic energy mountain ranges continents and oceans mists rains in brief all conditions condi tiona favorable to life the rud y hue of mars which is a noteworthy characteristic of the planet Flam morlan supposes to be due to the soil atmosphere and vegetation others hold that it is entirely due to the supposed fact that mitre mars at present is in an age of existence in which red sandstone forms forma the chief stratum of its continents the apparent change of color would then be accounted for on the presence at intervals intervale of mists and clouds in the atmosphere this planet has always been an object of interest to students of the heavenly bodies and it will become more so as our knowledge increases regarding the nature of the conditions under which it exists |
