Philosophy
Barrie W. Jones's "Mars before the space age" [recently published in the International Journal of Astrobilogy (Volume 7, Number 2, pp. 143-155, 2008)] has provided a succinct thirteen page history of Mars...pre-Mariner 4.
Abstract:
Mars has surely been scrutinised since the dawn of humankind. Its appearance every couple of years like a drop of blood in the sky, led to warlike attributes in the ancient world. In the 16th century Tycho Brahe made accurate observations of the position of Mars, that enabled Johannes Kepler to obtain his first two laws of planetary motion. These in turn were explained by Newton’s laws of motion and gravity. In the 17th century the first telescope observations were made, but Mars is small, and very little surface detail could be discerned.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries telescopes improved, revealing many dark areas on the red tinted surface. During the close opposition of 1877 sufficient detail could be seen that enabled Giovanni Schiaparelli to announce that he could see about 40 canali on Mars. This led to the saga of the canals of Mars, finally laid to rest in 1971 when Mariner 9 made observations from martian orbit showing that the canali/canals do not exist.
Belief that there was life on Mars was widespread in the nineteenth century. However, the majority of astronomers never believed in martian intelligence. Least controversial was the view that the dark areas were some form of plant life. This view persisted until Mariner 4 flew past Mars in 1965 and discovered a far thinner atmosphere than previously thought. This was a low point, with impact craters dominating the images. It was Mariner 9 that revealed much more promising landscapes, including volcanic features, and others indicating that water had flowed across the surface, particularly when Mars was young. Thus, the contemporary era of Mars exploration began.
Our picture of Mars today is not only much more complete than that before Mariner 4, in several ways it is quite different. But the belief that there might be life on Mars persists - subsurface life cannot be ruled out, and failing that, there might be ancient fossils on Mars.
"Mars before the space age"
Mars...Percival Lowell's romance with the red planet
- A Different Concept For The Colonization For Mars
Abstract... Humanity has the knowledge to solve its problems but lacks the moral insight to implement these ideas on a global scale. New moral insight can be obtained through transformative experiences that allow us to examine and refine our underlying...
- Eugène Michel Antoniadi...ardent Observer Of Mars
Wikipedia... Eugène Michel Antoniadi (...1 March 1870, Constantinople – 10 February 1944, Paris) was a Greek astronomer, born in Asia Minor, who spent most of his life in France when invited there by Camille Flammarion. He was also known as Eugenios...
- The Russians Have Eyed Mars Too
The Difficult Road to Mars: A Brief History of Mars Exploration in the Soviet Union by V.G. Perminov NASA's MONOGRAPHS IN AEROSPACE HISTORY Number 15 July 1999...
- Deceased--mars Rover Spirit
Mars Rover Spirit January 3rd, 2004 to May 25th, 2011 "Mars Exploration Rover Spirit Laid To Rest" May 25th, 2011 Mars Daily NASA will cease any further attempts to make contact with the long-lived Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, which last communicated...
- Mars Died Today...in 1999
Mars? Forrest Edward Mars, that is...the chocolate bar maker. American candy manufacturer who led Mars Inc., one of the world's largest confectionery companies. After helping to develop the Milky Way bar for his father's candy-making business,...
Philosophy
Pre-Mariner 4 knowledge of Mars
Barrie W. Jones's "Mars before the space age" [recently published in the International Journal of Astrobilogy (Volume 7, Number 2, pp. 143-155, 2008)] has provided a succinct thirteen page history of Mars...pre-Mariner 4.
Abstract:
Mars has surely been scrutinised since the dawn of humankind. Its appearance every couple of years like a drop of blood in the sky, led to warlike attributes in the ancient world. In the 16th century Tycho Brahe made accurate observations of the position of Mars, that enabled Johannes Kepler to obtain his first two laws of planetary motion. These in turn were explained by Newton’s laws of motion and gravity. In the 17th century the first telescope observations were made, but Mars is small, and very little surface detail could be discerned.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries telescopes improved, revealing many dark areas on the red tinted surface. During the close opposition of 1877 sufficient detail could be seen that enabled Giovanni Schiaparelli to announce that he could see about 40 canali on Mars. This led to the saga of the canals of Mars, finally laid to rest in 1971 when Mariner 9 made observations from martian orbit showing that the canali/canals do not exist.
Belief that there was life on Mars was widespread in the nineteenth century. However, the majority of astronomers never believed in martian intelligence. Least controversial was the view that the dark areas were some form of plant life. This view persisted until Mariner 4 flew past Mars in 1965 and discovered a far thinner atmosphere than previously thought. This was a low point, with impact craters dominating the images. It was Mariner 9 that revealed much more promising landscapes, including volcanic features, and others indicating that water had flowed across the surface, particularly when Mars was young. Thus, the contemporary era of Mars exploration began.
Our picture of Mars today is not only much more complete than that before Mariner 4, in several ways it is quite different. But the belief that there might be life on Mars persists - subsurface life cannot be ruled out, and failing that, there might be ancient fossils on Mars.
"Mars before the space age"
Mars...Percival Lowell's romance with the red planet
- A Different Concept For The Colonization For Mars
Abstract... Humanity has the knowledge to solve its problems but lacks the moral insight to implement these ideas on a global scale. New moral insight can be obtained through transformative experiences that allow us to examine and refine our underlying...
- Eugène Michel Antoniadi...ardent Observer Of Mars
Wikipedia... Eugène Michel Antoniadi (...1 March 1870, Constantinople – 10 February 1944, Paris) was a Greek astronomer, born in Asia Minor, who spent most of his life in France when invited there by Camille Flammarion. He was also known as Eugenios...
- The Russians Have Eyed Mars Too
The Difficult Road to Mars: A Brief History of Mars Exploration in the Soviet Union by V.G. Perminov NASA's MONOGRAPHS IN AEROSPACE HISTORY Number 15 July 1999...
- Deceased--mars Rover Spirit
Mars Rover Spirit January 3rd, 2004 to May 25th, 2011 "Mars Exploration Rover Spirit Laid To Rest" May 25th, 2011 Mars Daily NASA will cease any further attempts to make contact with the long-lived Mars Exploration Rover Spirit, which last communicated...
- Mars Died Today...in 1999
Mars? Forrest Edward Mars, that is...the chocolate bar maker. American candy manufacturer who led Mars Inc., one of the world's largest confectionery companies. After helping to develop the Milky Way bar for his father's candy-making business,...