IS IT AN ERUPTION?

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 652, 1 November 1909, Page 8

IS IT AN ERUPTION?

HAPPENING ON THE PLANET; MAES, (By Telccrapb.-SDeclsi Oorre«b«n<Jont I ■ ■ \ Auckland, October 30. i" • "It seems lifco some • tremendous'' volcanic ■ eruption on Mirs,". said ' Professor A. P. W, Thomas, ot the Auckland University College, when the recent cablegram relating to Mars' was read over to him. "The dusky area might well be clouds of volcanic dust on an enormous scale,-while, tho'brilliant spot might be an -I. enormous crater,with the glowing, incandescent; , /' molten material,within' it/'., : : .;&> y.; ■"<' "Would you say," lie was asked, "that-the .eruption was taking' place at tho,-time it waa observed?" ■ v-' i'..' ~"Certainly,", replied the professor, "'but, of: course, a great eruption of. this kind, if it it'' an eruption,! may •, have been" going oh for-a' ' long period.' J.,.. j■, - .••"And what might such an eruption-mean P*V >■ "Well, there is no reason why Mars should V not havo \olcamc eruptions ns. well as - th« ■ earth. The canals are. supposed , to contain water, and •'waiter is . one. of tho great causes of volcanic, explosions .which .. would ' account for, volcanic,dust in tho.air." • ..., :.Askcd, as. to \yhat would bo tho" i;hniices -of tho supposed' inhabitants of Mars with such' .an eruption going, on,,the,professor humorously. 1 ' : vdeclared that he-'woUld, not care to be .ono of '< - !: ' them, .It ; did niit;.follow,, however, .he .said, that the. whole'.ol.. Mars-was affected,, as-.the v! : - erujitiou, if it was aiv erupticiiv» was pc'ssihly-. >' •confined to one..paivaiidit.'such ,'was the case ■ it existed on' the planet in , other parts, '= • would'not be destroyed. . 1