Page 14 - (DK) Eyewitness - Mars

On the eve of the Space Age

In the mid-20th century, science fiction
about Mars was overtaken by scientific fact.
Fast-developing technology gave scientists
powerful telescopes, and new electronics offered
long-distance communication at the speed of
light. The study of light itself, “spectroscopy,”
made it possible to analyze Martian minerals
and the atmosphere. By the 1950s, average
temperatures on Mars were found to be far Detail from Antoniadi’s map
colder than previously thought, and the
air much thinner. Past reports of
canals on Mars were considered by GERARD KUIPER (1905–1973) EUGÉNE ANTONIADI (1870–1944)
A leading 20th-century
This Turkish-born French
many astronomers as “optical astronomer, the Dutch-born astronomer was at first convinced
illusions” caused by inferior Kuiper worked in America Mars had canals. Then, in 1909,
he studied the planet through
most of his career. In 1947,
telescopes. Some questioned he established that Martian the 33-inch (83 cm) telescope
at Meudon Observatory near
air contains carbon
whether vegetation could grow dioxide. Later research Paris—Europe’s largest telescope.
would prove carbon
on the planet. Still, imaginative dioxide makes up 95 His maps of Mars showed streaks
and checkerboard patterns,
artists pictured Mars with water percent of the atmosphere. but no canals.
and greenery, where human
Carbon dioxide is
Earth’s atmospheric
colonists could survive and work. made up of 1 carbon shimmering blurs image
The truth about Mars was close at atom and 2 oxygen atoms
hand, however, as rocket scientists
prepared spacecraft to blast off into
the Space Age.

Geological
details unclear

MARS COMES CLOSER
Palomar’s telescope revealed more
PALOMAR OBSERVATORY about Mars than ever before. Yet,
In 1948, the world’s largest as seen in this photograph taken
astronomical telescope was under ideal observational
dedicated in a new observatory conditions, images were blurred
on Mount Palomar in California. by the Earth’s shimmering
A triumph of optics and atmosphere. Astronomers longed
engineering, the telescope took 20 to view the heavens from as high
years to design and construct. It has above Earth’s atmosphere as
a 200-inch-wide (508 cm) mirror they could get.
mounted in a rotating dome.

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