Martian canal

The canals of Mars are finest line structures, which were first seen in 1877 by the Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli in the observation of Mars. Some of them provide canyons or gradations represent the terrain, but most do not correspond to known structures today the Martian surface. Some of them are to be interpreted as albedo and contrast effects, partly as optical illusions.

Schiaparelli had very sharp eyes, which is why his " Canali " (Italian for channels ) could be seen until two years later at the next Mars opposition by other observers.

This more detailed observations were made mainly at the observatory in the hills above Nice and were at times several dozen such lines. According to these findings and the other Mars researchers around the turn of the century (especially Percival Lowell, USA), they went almost straight and took in the majority of their output in dark areas of the planet.

Changes on the surface of Mars

Together with seasonal discoloration (gray, red, green ) had the result the idea in the astronomer Camille Flammarion and Percival Lowell, it could be either artificial constructions of " Martians ". Estimates showed a width of "channels" of at least a hundred kilometers, which was declared by most astronomers with broad vegetation belts along watercourses. Lowell took on even a dying civilization would irrigate their planet slowly drying up by melt water artificially from the two polar caps.

Falsely interpretation as evidence of life or works of art

This idea - which was still based on the assumption of a relatively dense atmosphere - gave rise to numerous scientific articles and sci-fi novels, up to a realistic looking radio play by Orson Welles, which alerted in 1938 parts of the United States. Observed with larger telescopes, the " Canali " changed its shape but usually, but sometimes they also doubled. Around 1910 spectroscopically (eg from Vesto Slipher ) were traces of water vapor and supposedly also observed later vegetation spectra of other scientists but doubted. In the 1930s increasingly came to suspect it could be optical illusions, as it brings the line backing of visual image processing in the brain with special approaches, contrast ratios. Antoniadis Mars map of 1935 showed rather than line structures only consecutive spots.

Nevertheless existed until about 1965 - the start of the first Mars probes - the idea in the art that Mars having low life such as mosses or lichens. Only by the space probes of the 1960s, this could be largely excluded. Today, the professional world is inclined to think that the Martian channels are simulated by this infamous refractors and brightness, and contrast stains the surface of Mars. But can be a part of the Canali with long-range, only slightly curved line structures ( terraces, rows of craters, color and shadow effects ) explain. It is certain that Schiaparelli and his successors were able to perceive the vast, 4000 km long canyon of Valles Marineris regularly.

The phenomenon of the canals of Mars was the main reason for establishing the Flagstaff and Lowell Observatory in Arizona ( 1894). It was soon discovered the leading Institute for Planetology at the 1930 Pluto, and developed the modern spectroscopy. However, in this regard investigations of periodic discoloration side of some canals of Mars could be up in the 1960s not clearly indicate or against lower traces of life, so that astrobiologists as late as 1963, shortly before the start of two Mariner Mars probes, the existence of mosses and lichens on the " Red Planet " thought possible.

Literature (selection ) and sources

  • Aarhus University, 2002. The Danish Mars Project
  • K. Beatty et al, 1983 /90. The Sun and its planets. 1st edition 242p. , 2 ~ 260, Physics -Verlag Weinheim
  • Gerstbach G., 2003: Mars Channel Observations 1877-90, Compared with Modern Orbiter Data, PDF
  • Golombek M., 1998: The Pathfinder mission to Mars. Spectrum of Sciences. Sept. 98, p. 62-73, Heidelberg
  • Walter Hain, 1995: The Face on Mars and other secrets of the Red Planet. 300p. , ISBN 3-7766-1912-0, Herbig -Verlag Munich
  • Herrmann J., 1963: Life on other planets? 190p. , Education and knowledge Vol 12, Gütersloh Bertelsmann
  • MOC 2003:
  • Paul Raeburn, 2000: Mars. The secrets of the red planet. 232P. , NASA & Steiger Augsburg
  • Aliens region
  • Mars ( Planet)
  • Optical illusion
  • About Holte theory (Astronomy)
Lineament Scientific literature Astronomical spectroscopy Bryophyte Mariner program
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