A Narrow Escape From Destruction-i Give Some Particulars About Mars And Martian Discovery

: To Mars Via The Moon

Things now went on quietly and, in fact, rather monotonously for several

days; and then we met with another rather startling experience.



We were all sitting together in our living-room on the 9th of September,

whiling away the time in a game of whist, and, as it was the final

rubber and we were running very close together, we were quite absorbed

in the play; although, of course, it was a dummy game.



Suddenly we heard a most tremendous crash, apparently from the

right-hand side of the air-chamber, the vessel giving a violent lurch

sideways, then shivering and trembling from end to end. The crash was

immediately followed by a sharp rattling on the top and side of the

Areonal, just as though a fusillade of good-sized bullets had been

fired at us.



"My word! whatever's that?-one of the cylinders must have exploded,"

cried M'Allister, jumping up in alarm and running into the air-chamber.

We followed him, and looked all round the room at the different machines

and apparatus, but could find nothing wrong.



John, chancing to look up, however, at once noticed a large bulge on

the inner shell of the vessel, high up on the right-hand side; and then,

turning to me, pointed it out, saying, "I think, Professor, it is pretty

clear now what has happened."



"Yes, that huge bulge explains itself," I replied; "undoubtedly a

fair-sized meteoric stone has collided with our vessel. It is very

fortunate that the stone was not much larger, or there would have been

an end to the Areonal and to us as well. These meteorites travel at

such tremendous speed that, on entering the earth's atmosphere, they

become incandescent owing to the friction of the air, and, unless very

large, are entirely consumed and dissipated into dust before they can

reach the earth. Those that do fall are always partially fused on the

outside by the tremendous heat generated by the friction of our

atmosphere. These meteorites are what people call 'shooting stars,' and

many are under the impression that they really are stars, until the

difference is explained to them."



John said, "We ought to congratulate ourselves upon such a lucky escape

from annihilation; for had our vessel been constructed of any metal less

hard and tough than our 'martalium,' and without a double and packed

shell, it must have been wrecked and entirely destroyed by the shock of

the tremendous concussion it had sustained. Even the very metal of the

casing might have been completely melted by the intense heat generated

by the impact of the meteorite."



"Heh, mon!" exclaimed M'Allister; "it's all very well talking about our

lucky escape, and putting it all down to your own cleverness in

designing and constructing the Areonal; but you should rather give

thanks to Providence for saving us, and for enabling you to take the

precautions you did. I say, 'Thank God!'" he remarked, and he solemnly

raised his right hand as he spoke.



"Quite right, M'Allister," replied John: "we are all too prone to credit

ourselves with more than we are entitled to. At the same time,

M'Allister, you must remember that we Englishmen recognise as fully as

you do the over-ruling power of Providence, although we may not be quite

so free in speaking about it in ordinary conversation."



"Yes," I added, "you may be quite sure, M'Allister, that we are equally

as grateful as yourself for the mercy which has preserved us all from an

awful death. My very first thought on realising our extremely narrow

escape from destruction was to say 'Thank God!' but I did not say it

aloud as you did. It is in matters like these that people differ

according to their temperament and training; and it is not safe to judge

another because, in any particular circumstances, he does not act in

precisely the same way as we ourselves would."



Thus we travelled on and on, each day bringing us more than two million

miles nearer to our destination. Mars was apparently increasing in

diameter the nearer we drew to it, and the dark blue line around the

south polar snow-cap, indicating the lake of water from the melting

snow, was very conspicuous. The snow-cap had recently decreased rapidly,

being now near its minimum and irregular in shape, for in the southern

hemisphere it was now late in June. Pointing to the planet, I remarked,

"There is our destination! We see it now as the poet pictured it for us,

and the words of Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes are very appropriate to the

present circumstances:



'The snow that glittered on the disc of Mars

Has melted, and the planet's fiery orb

Rolls in the crimson summer of its year!'"



On the 18th of September we passed between the earth and Mars, nearly in

a line with the sun. On that date Mars was in perigee, or at its nearest

point to the earth during the present year. Its distance from the earth

was then 36,100,000 miles, and it will not be so close again until the

24th of August 1924. We could not see the earth, as its dark side was

turned towards us, and it was also lost in the brilliancy of the sun.



At this date we had travelled 88,000,000 miles since we left the earth,

yet we knew it was there, level with our vessel, and only about

29,000,000 miles distant on our left hand, whilst Mars was only

7,000,000 miles from us on our right-hand side.



Our position now was as follows:-Taking an imaginary line drawn from

the Areonal to Mars as the base line of an isosceles triangle, we were

moving along the left side of the triangle, and Mars was moving in a

slightly curved line along the right side. Our paths were therefore

converging, and if all went well we should both meet at the apex of the

triangle on the 24th September, as we had originally intended.



We therefore had six clear days to cover the distance of less than

12,000,000 miles, so we should have sufficient time to slacken speed at

the end of the journey. (See the chart.)



Mars was rapidly growing in size and brightness, for the distance

between the planet and the Areonal was quickly diminishing as our

paths converged, and the various markings on its almost full round disc

formed the subject of continual observation and conversation. We had

noticed on several occasions a mistiness on some parts of the planet,

which I attributed to the vapours raised from the canals by the heated

atmosphere.



On the 21st of September, when we were all enjoying a smoke in the

"evening," and conversation had dragged somewhat, John started us off on

a fresh tack and gave us something to talk about for a very long time.



He winked at M'Allister and, looking at me with a knowing smile, said:

"Professor, as we are nearing our destination it might perhaps be well

if you now gave us some detailed information respecting the planet,

similar to that which you gave us when we were approaching the moon. It

would be both interesting and useful; for we should learn much more from

an orderly statement of the facts than we should from several long but

desultory conversations."



"Yes, Professor," chimed in M'Allister, "I'm quite ready to learn

something definite about Mars, for I can't say I really know much about

it at present."



"Very well then," I replied, "it is upon your own heads, and if you are

willing to listen to a rather long story, I am prepared to do the

talking. Please remember, however, that it will require some time to

make matters clear and understandable."



"Fire away, mon," cried M'Allister, "we will listen as long as you care

to talk."



So I began-"Mars, as no doubt you are aware, is a much smaller planet

than the earth, its diameter being only 4220 miles, which is a little

less than twice the diameter of our moon.



"It would require nine and a half globes the size of Mars to make one

globe the size of the earth; and even then it would not be so heavy,

because the average density of Mars is only about three-fourths of that

of the earth. Mars is the next planet outside the earth's orbit, so is

the fourth from the sun. The orbit in which Mars moves in its journey

round the sun is very much more eccentric than the earth's orbit; in

fact it is more eccentric than the orbits of any of the larger planets.

As a consequence, the planet's distance from the sun varies greatly

according to the particular part of the orbit in which it may be moving.

Its mean distance from the sun is 141,500,000 miles, its greatest

distance over 154,000,000, and at its nearest approach to the sun, or

'perihelion,' as it is called, its distance is only 129,500,000 miles.

Mars travels in its orbit at a mean rate of 15 miles a second.



"As its orbit is also eccentrically placed in relation to the earth's

orbit, it follows that its nearest distance from us in any particular

years may vary greatly. The nearest possible approach it can make in

regard to the earth is a little under 35,000,000 miles; when at the

opposite point of its orbit its nearest approach is about 62,000,000

miles from the earth. As the years of Mars and the earth differ greatly

in length, and the two planets move at different speeds, the very

favourable oppositions can only occur about once every forty-five years;

though a comparatively near opposition occurs about every fifteen years.

Such a close approach we have just witnessed, and it will be fifteen

years before Mars is again so near to the earth!




the relative positions of the two Planets, during the years 1909-10.

Mars passed over the dotted portion of its Orbit in the year 1910.



The Outer Circle is the Orbit of Mars, and the inner Circle is the

Orbit of the Earth. The Seasonal points on both Orbits show the Seasons

in the Northern hemisphere. In the Southern hemisphere the Seasons are

reversed, "Summer" occurring at the point marked "Winter," and "Spring"

at the point marked "Autumn," &c. &c.



The dotted downward line on the left-hand side shows the course taken

by the "Areonal", which left the Earth on the 3rd of August and

arrived at Mars on the 24th of September. * Shows the point reached

when John wished to turn back; and the lower dotted line, the

alternative course then suggested.



The long dotted line running upwards to the Spring Equinox of the Earth

shows the course taken on the homeward Voyage.



Drawn by M. Wicks.



Plate VII]



"The Martian year is equal to 687 of our days, but as the Martian days

are slightly longer than ours, this really represents 668 Martian days.



"The entire surface of Mars contains an area of about 56,000,000 square

miles, which is about one-fourth of the area of the earth's surface.



"Its gravity is only three-eighths of the earth's gravity, thus

everything upon Mars would weigh proportionately lighter than on the

earth, and the amount of labour required to do such work as digging or

lifting would be lessened. There would, for the same reason, be greater

ease of movement in walking, jumping, or running, and large bulky

animals like our elephants could move with almost the same ease and

freedom as our goats.



"Theoretically, we should expect to find the atmosphere upon Mars very

much thinner than our atmosphere, and actual observation proves this to

be the case. We are able to see details on the surface of Mars with very

much greater distinctness than would be the case if its atmosphere were

as dense as ours. Moreover, clouds are comparatively rarely seen; and

the majority that are observed present more the appearance of clouds of

sand than rain clouds. Usually, also, they float very much higher above

the planet's surface than our clouds are above the earth's surface; ten

miles high is quite an ordinary altitude, and some have been estimated

as quite thirty miles above the planet.



"Many theorists have attempted to prove that, owing to the planet's

distance from the sun, and the thinness of its atmosphere, the

temperature of Mars must be very low, probably below freezing-point even

at the equator. Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace has gone further than this,

and suggests that the temperature must be eighty degrees Centigrade

below freezing-point; that there is no water or water vapour on the

planet; and that it is quite impossible for life to exist there!



"However, as the result of delicate bolometric experiments, careful

calculations, and consideration of conditions affecting the result which

have not previously received so much attention, Professor Very has

arrived at a different opinion; and actual observation has shown that

there is very little indication of frost outside the frigid zones. Even

in the polar regions it is at times evidently warmer than at the earth's

poles, because during the spring and summer the snow-caps upon Mars not

only melt more rapidly, but melt to a much greater extent than our polar

caps do. In 1894 the southern polar snow-cap of Mars was observed almost

continuously during the melting period, and it was actually observed to

dwindle and dwindle until it had entirely disappeared. It is rather

strange to think that we know more about the snow-caps of that

far-distant world than we do about those on our own earth.



"Owing to the lesser gravity on Mars the snow and ice which forms the

caps would certainly be lighter and less closely compacted than the snow

and ice upon our earth; but it is quite clear that it could not melt to

any extent unless the temperature remained above freezing-point for a

considerable length of time.



"It has, however, seriously been contended that the Martian polar caps

are not snow at all, but frozen carbon dioxide-the poisonous dregs of

what once was an atmosphere. Carbon dioxide, however, melts and becomes

gaseous almost suddenly, but these polar snow-caps melt gradually,

exactly as frozen snow would; so this theory fails altogether to fit the

circumstances.



"Moreover, the water which accumulates all round the base of the melting

snow-cap has been carefully observed on many occasions, and in the early

stage of melting it appears blue in tint, but later on, as upper layers

of snow dissolve and those nearer the soil are reached, the water

presents a turbid and muddy appearance; exactly what might be expected

when water has been contaminated by the surface soil.



"Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace declines to accept the blue tint as any proof

that the liquid is water, and contends that shallow water would not

appear that colour when viewed from a distance. You will, however, have

observed that the water in all our shallow reservoirs appears intensely

blue when observed from any distant and elevated point of view. It seems

to me that when, as in the case of Mars, we have a very thin atmosphere

laden with sand particles, we have exactly the conditions which would

produce a very blue sky, and cause the water to appear a deep blue

colour when viewed from a distance.



"It is also contended that water cannot be present on Mars, because none

of our skilled spectroscopists has yet been able to demonstrate by the

spectroscope that there is any water vapour in the Martian atmosphere.



"This, however, is generally acknowledged to be a very difficult and

delicate operation; and, in any case, it is purely negative evidence,

and cannot be accepted as final. I feel quite confident that sooner or

later a means will be found of definitely proving the presence of water

vapour upon Mars by the aid of the usual lines in the spectrum. There

are too many evidences of its presence, such as clouds, hoarfrost, snow,

and seasonal changes in vegetation, to warrant the rejection of the idea

of its existence merely because it has not been detected by the

particular means hitherto used by the spectroscopists.



"Mr. Slipher, of Flagstaff Observatory, has made many experiments with

specially sensitised photographic plates. He has taken several

photographs of the spectrum of the moon and others of the spectrum of

the planet Mars. The plates of the lunar spectrum show a darkening of

the 'a' band, which indicates the presence of water vapour, and we know

that is due to the water vapour in our own atmosphere. The plates of the

spectrum of Mars show a much more definite darkening of the 'a' band,

and Professor Lowell contends that this can only be due to water vapour

in the atmosphere of Mars.



"Professor Campbell has, however, made similar experiments, and is of

opinion that Professor Lowell has been deceived by the water vapour in

our own atmosphere. Thus the matter stands at the present time, and we

must await the result of further investigation before we can consider

the matter settled.



"I, however, regard it as a certainty that improved means will

definitely show that water vapour undoubtedly exists in the Martian

atmosphere, and it is not unlikely that other constituents of that

atmosphere may also be identified, and possibly even the relative

quantities may be ascertained."



John here remarked that he had read of it being contended that life

could not exist on Mars because as water would boil at a temperature a

hundred degrees lower than it did on the earth, it would be impossible

to boil a potato properly, or make a good cup of tea. He thought,

however, that if water boiled at such a low temperature, then the

proportion of water vapour in the air would be increased, as evaporation

would be more rapid than on the earth.



"Undoubtedly so," I replied. "The first argument, however, is very weak.

For many thousands of years the people on the earth not only managed to

live, but attained a high state of civilisation, yet we have no reason

to believe that they ever ate potatoes or drank tea! Even in England we

have only known and used these articles for about three hundred years!

The inhabitants of any world would be suited to their environments.



"The polar-caps on Mars are shown on very early drawings of the planet;

but, up to the year 1877, little was known of the general surface

details beyond the fact that the general colour was orange-red,

diversified by dark patches of blue-green in some parts, and some

narrow, serpentine markings here and there. All these markings are now

much more accurately drawn, as the result of more careful and continuous

observation. Sir William Herschel suggested that the red colour was

attributable to the vegetation of Mars being red, instead of green as on

our earth; but it was generally considered that the red areas indicated

land and the dark areas water. The work of our modern observers has,

however, resulted in a general revision of our ideas on these points.



"It had long been reasoned that, as the earth was accompanied by a

moon, and Jupiter had at least four, Mars, the intermediate planet,

might be expected to possess a satellite. The planet itself being small,

its moon would probably be very small, and likely to be overlooked when

observing with the telescope, because its light would be overpowered by

the light of the planet, which would make the telescopic field of view

very bright. Up to the year 1877 the most powerful instruments had been

used without success in the search for the supposed satellite.





"In that year Mars made an exceptionally near approach to the earth, and

Professor Asaph Hall, of Washington Observatory, took up the search,

using a splendid refracting telescope having an object-glass 26 inches

in diameter. The methods he adopted were rewarded with success, for he

discovered not only one, but two satellites of Mars, and they were given

the names of Phobos and Deimos.



"Both these satellites are very close to the planet and extremely small,

Phobos being less than 4000 miles from the planet's surface, and Deimos

only 12,300 miles from it. As seen in the telescope, they are very faint

points of light which cannot be measured by ordinary means, and the

estimation of their size was a matter of great difficulty.



"Professor Langley gives an interesting account of the endeavour to

estimate their size by the amount of light reflected, as compared with

the light afforded by our own moon when full. It was a most difficult

task, as the comparison had to be made by means of tiny holes drilled in

metal plates; and for a long time it was impossible to find a workman

who could drill a hole sufficiently small for the purpose, although one

of those employed had succeeded in drilling a hole through a lady's thin

cambric needle from end to end, thus converting it into a tiny steel

tube. One would have thought such a feat impossible; yet what was now

required was a hole smaller than the one thus made through the tiny

needle."



"My word!" said M'Allister, "I would like to see the mon who did that

piece of work, and shake hands with him; he must be a rare clever

fellow!"



"Yes," said John, "and I would like to see the drill he used; for such a

long and extremely slender tool, to be effective, must be as clever a

piece of work as the steel tube."



"I may tell you," I proceeded, "that success was at last attained; and

as a result of the comparison of our moon's light with that of Deimos,

it was shown that if the general surface brightness of the latter were

equal to that of our moon, then Deimos must be only 18 miles in

diameter, or about a 15,000th part of the area of our moon's disc.



"To state the matter in another way-supposing our moon were only 18

miles in diameter, and was removed to the same distance as Deimos is

from us, then it would appear only the very faint point of light that

Deimos appears when viewed through the telescope.



"By the same means Phobos, the satellite nearest to Mars, was estimated

to be about 22-1/2 miles in diameter. These dimensions, however, depend

on the brightness of these satellites being exactly the same as the

general brightness of our moon; and later experiments have fixed the

sizes as 36 miles for Phobos, and 10 miles as the diameter of Deimos.



"I will not detain you much longer on this subject, as we shall be able

to discuss it further when we arrive upon Mars; but I may now mention

that, in one respect, the little satellite named Phobos is unique. It is

the only satellite we know of which revolves round its primary planet in

less time than it takes the planet itself to make one revolution on its

axis.[6]



"Mars revolves on its axis in 24 hours, 37 minutes, and 22 seconds, thus

the 'day' on Mars is nearly 38 minutes longer than our 'day.' Phobos

revolves round the planet in the very short period of 7 hours, 39

minutes, and 14 seconds, and therefore makes more than three complete

revolutions round the planet in the course of a single Martian day. The

peculiar phenomena to which this very rapid motion gives rise, and the

numerous eclipses which occur, will be matters of great interest to us

all when we reach Mars. Our moon, as you know, takes a month to make one

revolution round the earth."



"Professor," said John, "when we get to Mars, it will be rather a

curious experience for us to see two moons shining in the sky at the

same time!"



"My word!" exclaimed M'Allister, "two moons shining at once! If I go out

and see such a sight as that, I shall think the whisky has been a wee

bit too strong for me!"



"Well," replied John, "if your usual drink has the effect of making you

see double, take good advice, and leave the whisky severely alone when

you are on Mars, or else you will be seeing four moons all at once,

and receive such a shock that you will never get over it!"



M'Allister laughed pleasantly as John said this. He is a real good

fellow, and takes all John's chaff with the utmost good-humour; but, in

justice to him, I must say that, although he sticks to his national

drink like a true Scot, I have never once seen him any the worse for it.

He knows his limitations, and always keeps within them.



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