MARS "CANALS."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 706, 4 January 1910, Page 5

MARS "CANALS."

PROFESSOR LOWELL; REPORTS TWO NEW ONES. SIGHTED FROM ARIZONA. Dy Telegraph-Press Association-CoDyrieht. (Roc. January i, 0.30 a.m.) Now York, Januaiy 3. Professor Percival Lowell, tho American astronomer, who advocates the theory of life on Mars, declares that two canals new to us and now to liars were discovered by observations at tho Flagstaff Observatory in Arizona, when tho planet was recently in opposition.

f: THE SEPTEMBER.OPPOSITIONS i The opposition occurred last September, when it was estimated that Mars would be;: nearer for purposes :■' of observation than it had been;.since, 1802.- The most' (favourable oppositions occur when ; it is nearest the: sun,' and these repeat themselves at intervals of seven" oppositions, 0r.15 years. The following table gives details of. four, favourable Oppositions and two : unfavourable ones:— :-. .. •:■; ■;.. -,

'.'; . .Date'of least distance ,'■, millions' ■ : Vono'-i' ;. from earth, ;' -;,v : ' : of;miles. ..,'1892...v:Aug.'-6.' ■ ;;FaVourable;■ ■'~ : ; '■■ JBM ■••■ Oct. '13; J favourable : -J -v 40- :'■ 18»9 ... Jan.,l6 , .Unfavourable 60 : '■': 1901 ... Feb."23■■"-.'■. Unfavourable- 63' 1907... July 13 .Favourable •V3B : ■ 1909 „: Sep.; 18,.;.. Favourable ;.:' \ 36 ; {-; "\ (states' a - vrriter : . Vii : Ihe Times') that: Professor ;, Percival V\l I ■ : ff 1 ? ! ?? u^H: h K' ol ?s e "atory, 'at J.' lagstaff, -Arizona, for tho. special purpose ot -making.'.a. continuous-study, of 'Mars under .all configurations, and his work there has marked. a notable advance in our ..knowledge of ..the,, planef e : markings.. ..ihe site was ■■'■ with , great: .■' care' alter ..many ■: experiments, with a .view to seounng. tlie,; best'■ ■; possible;; telescopic dehnihon.' -Thopbservatory : is at van al-titude-of seven .thousand feet, : on! tlie slopes • ot. Sam, Francisco', Peak,.,' Arizona ;' ' th .° mountain Vis .clothed with pine and ■ other;trees, while it ! is surrounded'by the great. American; desert,.and it:is, probable, that this combination'explains the.excellent denmtion, the dry desert air securing clearness,.while; the oasis -of•',vegetation protects .the; ground- from . overheating, with; conseeuent, unsteadiness;' Perhaps tho .most important single result obtained i'^ re ; , was t!l ? 'successful; .photography. 6i We -planet, commenced four years, ago by. Professor Lowell's . assistants;, Lampland and .bhplier,,andi-repeated with . still" greater^.success,in; 1907." • ■'.'-!■ ''■■■■.■•■; .; Professor,. .Lowell's anncmnbemeht 1 may' • 9 v,^ ke ? ■' os ■ a -'reply v.tov■ the '-recently-' cabled statement by, MrV-E;.-W;> Maunder,-' F-K.A.5.,-: superintendent, of the'. Solar ■ Dβ-' ; partment;. of;.:the.,; :E6yal . Observatory,■ Greemrich,. .whoi;.in addressing' tW-'.is-'' tronomical. Society,V6aid'vthat'a;sixty-inch telescope-.''belonging: 'to : G; 'E ■■■ Hale,' LL.DI;" Sc.D.,*-direotpr of '■;the Solar'• Observatory., of;fthe; .Carnegie'lnstitution of ■.Mpiint 'Wilson',' fornia,-., had 'i.undoub.tedly; established■'■•'tie''' fact; that-.the. supposed,- canalisation '< of - Mars was ;an • optical-illusion. ;,; i ";■':'- v-- : -