Flowers of the SkyProctor, Richard A. (Richard Anthony)
Science
Flowers of the Sky
Proctor, Richard A. (Richard Anthony)
Astronomy
But how much follows from the discovery that there is moisture in the
air of Mars! This moisture can only come from water in sufficient
quantities. There must, therefore, be seas on Mars. We should be sure of
this from the spectroscopic evidence, even without the evidence given by
the telescope. We cannot doubt for a moment, however, knowing as we do
how the telescope shows greenish markings on Mars, that these really
are the seas and oceans of the planet. And again, the white spots at the
poles of Mars can no longer be regarded doubtfully. If we could not see
them, but knew only, from the spectroscopic evidence, that Mars must
have large seas, we should be sure that his polar regions must be
covered with everlasting ice and snow, varying with the seasons, but
always surrounding, in enormous masses, the poles themselves. Seeing
that the telescope presents spots to our view which, long before the
spectroscopic evidence had been obtained or hoped for, had been regarded
as analogues of our polar snows, we can now entertain no manner of doubt
that they really are so.
But again, recognising the presence of enormous masses of snow and ice
around the poles of Mars, and knowing that not only are there wide
oceans, seas, and lakes, but that there is an atmosphere capable of
carrying mist and cloud, how many circumstances, corresponding to those
which we associate with the wants of living creatures, present
themselves to our consideration! It remains that I should now consider
some of these points.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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