Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 November 1892 — What is Known About Mars. [ARTICLE]

What is Known About Mars.

These three views are representative: all of them are based on serious study, and at least two of them may be taken as authoritative. M. Flammarion, the French astronomer, regards it as very probable that the dark areas of Mars are water and the bright ones land. Professor Schaeberle’s observations with the greatest telescope in the world (the Lick), under the best possible conditions, lead him to precisely opposite conclusions. Mr. Brett (the English artist-as-tronomer) doubts if land and water exist on Mars at all, and gives good reasons sot deciding that the planet is in a heated state—as we suppose Jupiter to be, for example. Telescopic observations show that the planet Venus appears to a distant observer far more nearly like the earth than does Mars. When we come to an examination of the particularities of Mars’ surface we find dissimilarity and not likeness to details of the earth's. Under these circumstances, and so long as such widely divergent views cun be ad/ocated by competent observers, it appears to me that the wise course is to reserve judgment and to strive for more light. I feel certain that when a satisfactory explanation is finally reached, the Lick Observatory will be found to have contributed its share to the solution.—[Prof. Holden, in the ’’orum.