68 



This oi)i)()sition was not nearly so favorable to the ol)servati()ii of sur- 

 face eliaraeteristies as some in tlie past, as Mars and tlie <'artli were so 

 situated that at the time of opposition Mars was at his greatest distance 

 from the sun, while the earth Avas at its least distance, thus making the 

 distance between .Mars and the earth almost a maximum. So great is the 

 eccentricity of the planet's orbit that this distance at opposition maj' vary 

 from thirty-five million miles to over sixty-two million miles. In this 

 ease it was near the latter limit, the nearest approach being on the 22d 

 of Fel)ruary. 



This opposition was also somewhat unfavorable if we compare results 

 witli those obtained in IS'.ii' and 1S'.)4. in that the southern pole of the 

 planet which was at that time turned toward us. at this opposition was 

 turned away from us. 



The large dark areas on the planet are mainly in the southern hemi- 

 sphere and are the most easily seen of anything on the surface except the 

 polar cap. It will be observed that there are also lai'ge dark areas in the 

 northern hemisphere, but these, for tlie most part, are very changeable, 

 both in size and shape and intensity, indicating prol)al)ly that they are 

 really water and that the change is piu'ely seasonal in character. One of 

 the most cons]iicuous markings on tlu^ planet at the time of opposition was 

 the great polar ice cap. It will be observed that the early drawings all 

 re])resent this feature as large, and the l)rilllant white color made it stand 

 out in a very consiiicnons manner against the yellow and red of the rest 

 of the surface, while, toward the end of the series, the cap has diminished 

 in size so as to be easily overlooked altogether. It will also be observed 

 that the ice cap is represented willi a dark fringe surrounding it. that 

 this fringe follows the edge of the cap as it melts away, and that at the 

 same time the dark areas near this pole become much enlarged and much 

 nioi'e intt'iise in contrast with tlie briglit yellow of the disk. This tends 

 to show that these dark patches are really water and as the polar snows 

 melt, the water runs out over the comparatively level surface in great 

 pools. 



A few of the numerous so-called canals are shown. As to just the 

 character and origin of these objects there has been a great deal of dis- 

 cussion. Their reality was even questioned for some time after their dis- 

 covery, but of that there can now be no doubt at all. These canals were 

 first seen by Schiaparelli in 1877, and from that time till the present they 

 have been a constant source of perplexity. The same observer shortly 



