The elements of astronomy; a textbook . 3, Recent Discoveries. The Canals and their Gemination — In addition to these three classes of markings, the Italianastronomer Schiaparelli in 1877 and 1879 reported the dis-covery of a great number of fine straight lines, or canalsas he called them, crossing the ruddy portions of the planetsdisc in all directions ; and in 1881 he announced that some ofthem become double at times. These new markings are faint,and very difficult to see, and for several years there was astrong suspicion that he was misled by some illusion ; morerecently, however, his resul
The elements of astronomy; a textbook . 3, Recent Discoveries. The Canals and their Gemination — In addition to these three classes of markings, the Italianastronomer Schiaparelli in 1877 and 1879 reported the dis-covery of a great number of fine straight lines, or canalsas he called them, crossing the ruddy portions of the planetsdisc in all directions ; and in 1881 he announced that some ofthem become double at times. These new markings are faint,and very difficult to see, and for several years there was astrong suspicion that he was misled by some illusion ; morerecently, however, his results have been abundantly confirmed, 234 SURFACE AND TOPOGRAPHY. § 333 both, in Europe and in the United States. It appears that inthe observation of these objects the power of the telescope isless important than steadiness of the air and keenness of theobservers vision. Nor are they usually best seen when Marsis nearest, but their visibility depends largely upon the seasonon the planet; and this is especially the case with their gem-. FlG. 83*. ination. Fig. 83* from one of Mr. Lowells drawings in1894, gives an idea of the extent and complexity of the canal-system ; but the reader must not suppose that in the telescopeit stands out with any such conspicuousness. The figureshows also how some of the canals cross the so-called seas,and disprove the propriety of the name. 333*. As to the real nature and office of the canals there is awide difference of opinion, and it is very doubtful if their true ex-planation has yet been reached. Indeed it is still quite possible thatsome of the peculiar phenomena reported are illusions, based onwhat the observers think they ought to see : it is easy to be deceivedin attempting to interpret intelligibly what is barely visible. Ac-cording to Flammarion, Lowell, and other zealous observers of theplanet, the polar caps are really snow-sheets, which melt in the(Martian) spring, and send the water towards the planets equator § 333*] MAPS OF THE P
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