SIGNALS TO MARS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9463, 4 June 1909, Page 2

SIGNALS TO MARS.

Professor William Henry Pickering, one of the famons brothers who are in charge of the astronomical observatory at Harvard, is prepared, he asserts, to communicate with the inabitanta of Mars next July if he oan obtain the £3,000,000 necessary for the operation. Mr Pickering (telegraphs a New York correspondent), who constructed the celebrated observatory at Flagstaff, Arizona, believes with Professor Lowell that Mars Is inhabipeople of high intelligence. In July, he says, Mara will be 5,000,000 miles nearer the earth than ever before. Professor Pickering’s plan is to establish a series of mirrors occupying an area of a quarter of a mile, which Will be attached to one great axis parallel with that of the earth, and will be rnn by motors timed to make complete revolutions every twenty-four hours. “The light thus reflected,” he says, “would easily be descernible by the aid of telescopes by the Martians. We should begin a series of flashes, cutting off the sun’s rays for an instant, and then throwing them on thee mirrors again, repeating this at irregular intervals according to the telegraphic oode of docs and dashes. This ought at once to attract the attention of the Martians, who will give an answering signal. Once such a signal is received it will be a comparatively easy matter to establish a code and transmit messages.” . Professor Pickering is ready to furnish snob a code, and says he is confident that if this proposed plan could bs adopted, we on earth should be able eventually to converse with the Martians.