SIGNALS TO MARS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7817, 9 June 1909, Page 1

SIGNALS TO MARS.

Professor William Henry Pickering, one of the famous brothers who are m charge 'or' the'astronomical observatory at Harvard, is prepared, he asserts," to communicate with the inhabitants of Mars next July if he can obtain the £2,'000,0l)(J necessary for the operation. Mr Pickering (telegraphs a New York correspondent), who constructed the celebrated observatory at Flagstaff, Arizona, belives with Professor Lowell, that Mars is inhabited by people of high intelligence. In July, he says. Mars will be 5,000,000 miles nearer the earth than ever before. Professor Pickering's plan is to establish a series of mirrors occupying an area of a quarter of a mile, which will be attached to one great axis parallel with that of the earth, and will be run by motors timed to make complete | revolutions every twenty-four hours. ■ "The light thus reflected," he says, I "would easily be discernible by the ■aid of telescopes by the Martians. We jshould begin a series of flashes, cutting off the sun's rays for an.instant, 'and then throwing them on the mirjrors again) repeating this at regular (intervals according to the telegraphic code of dots and dashes. This ought at ;once to attract the attention of'the Martians, who will give an answering signal. Once such a signal is received it will be a'comparatively easy matter to establish a code and transmit messages." Professor Pickering is ready to furnish such a code, and says he, is confident tliiit if. this proposed plan could be adopted, we on earth should" he able ioyentuallytp ponverso with the Martians. ■"'."'