[meteorite-list] Percival Lowell Strange Martian Surface Feature

From: Keith's _at_home <arizonakeith_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:02:26 2004
Message-ID: <00b901c1c66d$2dfd6280$6501a8c0_at_ph.cox.net>

Hello List

With all this talk about Intelligent Life on Mars and is Mr. Hoagland a
Nutcase, Doe's anyone remember Percival Lowell?

A graduated from Harvard in 1876, Lowell spent 15 years intensively studying
Mars. By viewing the surface of Mars through the 24-inch Clark Telescope,
located on Mars hills 7260' above sea level in Flagstaff Arizona, Lowell
produced intricate drawings of the Red Planet, delineating hundreds of
straight lines and their intersections (which Lowell called "oases"). Lowell
concluded that the bright areas were deserts and the dark were patches of
vegetation. He further believed that water from the melting polar cap flowed
down the canals toward the equatorial region to revive the vegetation.
Lowell believed the canals were constructed by intelligent beings who once
flourished on Mars. He published his views in three books: Mars(1895), Mars
and Its Canals(1906), and Mars As the Abode of Life(1908). And started the
popular Martian mind set, that we are not alone and there proof of
intelligent life on Mars.

Lowell spent his last years looking for Planet "X", He died in 1916 never
finding it. But the search continued after his death at Mars Hill by Clyde
Tombaugh who in 1930 discovered planet "X" or the ninth planet", later he
named it Pluto. Pluto astronomical symbol became PL are also Percival
Lowell's initials.

I think we all agree that Percival Lowell didn't get it at all right, and
his imagination got the best of him, but Lowell's Research at the
observatory led to discovery of the planet Pluto and the first evidence of
the expanding universe was also discovered at Mars Hill.
Some people think that Percival Lowell was also Nutcase and others a Great
Astronomer.
Lowell observatory is still open today and provides extensive education and
outreach activities to educate visitors and school children about the
exciting world of astronomy.
And is worth the visit if your ever in Flagstaff area.

Given a little time, we will all find out the facts and the truth about Mars
and what was just imagination gone wild once again.
But if Lowell was Nutcase I don't think history will ever settled this one.

What doe's the list think
Thanks for your time.

Keith
Chandler AZ
Received on Fri 08 Mar 2002 01:47:55 AM PST