To Mars via the Moon: An Astronomical StoryWicks, Mark
Science
To Mars via the Moon: An Astronomical Story
Wicks, Mark
Mars (Planet) -- Fiction; Science fiction
It revolves round the planet in 30-1/4 hours, but appears to take
131-1/2 hours to do so, being above the horizon about 60 hours, and
below it nearly 72 hours. These are the times as seen from the equator;
but, as in the case of Phobos, the farther the place is from the equator
the shorter is the period that Deimos is seen above the horizon, until,
when latitude 82° is reached in either hemisphere, it ceases to become
visible at all.
Our moon, being so very much more distant from our earth, could be seen
from both the poles.
Deimos also passes nearly twice through all its phases whilst it is
above the horizon, viz. during about 60 hours, and may be seen twice
full and twice new in that time.
Eclipses of Deimos by the planet and occultations of it by the other
satellite are very frequent. Being so small, it can never cause an
eclipse of the sun, but it transits the sun as a dark spot about one
hundred and twenty times during the Martian year.
This is really a very inadequate list of the phenomena connected with
the satellites, but it will be seen that the number is enormous
compared with the few eclipses of the sun or moon seen on the earth
during the course of one year. Certainly Mars is an astronomer's world!
Merna heard my statements respecting these movements and phenomena as I
explained them to my two friends; and when I had finished, he remarked,
"You seem to be fairly well posted in these matters, sir?"
"Yes," I said; "thanks to our astronomers, both professional and
amateur, all these things have been very carefully calculated; and, with
the exception of a few doubtful points, we probably know nearly as much
about them as the Martians themselves do."
M'Allister then turned to me and said, "Professor, you told us that the
two satellites of Mars revolved round the planet in a certain time, but
in each case you afterwards said they appeared to take a much longer
time to do so. I'm rather puzzled to understand how that can be."
"It's really a simple matter, M'Allister," I answered, "and I think I
can make it clear to you. While the satellite is making one revolution
round the planet the latter is turning on its axis in the same direction
as the satellite is moving, following it up in fact; and you will I
think understand that in these circumstances the people on that part of
the planet where the moon is visible must necessarily keep it in view
for a longer period than would be the case if the planet were not
revolving in the same direction.
"You have been used to being on board a ship; so suppose your vessel was
steaming twelve miles an hour and there was another vessel at anchor
just twelve miles ahead of you, you would reach it in just one hour,
would you not?"
"Yes, certainly I should," replied M'Allister.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account