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388 Suppressed Inventions and Other Discoveries
opposition between those who were open and accepting of the new knowledge
about space, and those who worked to prevent the truth from coming
out
Along with the later observations of mysterious clouds and lights, the
cryptic radio signals led some independent astronomers to conclude that
we were being given rudimentary signals from Mars to challenge our
thinking about life beyond the Earth. Regarding habitability, there was
even more scientific certainty in other telescopic studies. As early as 1926,
photographs were taken in ultraviolet light that clearly showed a substantial
atmosphere on Mars. Compared with infrared photographs taken at the
same time, the pictures proved that there is a dense atmosphere, possibly
40 miles in depth. There are undoubtedly more rarefied layers above this
altitude, much like the upper, tenuous atmosphere around the Earth, that
would be too thin to be recorded by photography. It has been suggested that
the top of the Martian atmosphere might reach 400 miles, by the British
scientist-writer Earl Nelson, author of There Is Life on Mars (1956).
The early photographs showing the Martian atmosphere were taken by
G. E. Hale of the Mount Palomar Observatory [Southern California] and are
reproduced in Nelson's book. There are two immediate and important conclusions
that can be drawn from these observations. The surface gravity on
Mars must be substantially higher than has been taught, for a low gravity
would not be sufficient to retain such a sizable atmosphere. Secondly, with
such a dense atmosphere, the sun's energy would interact much differently
than orthodox theories suggested, and the temperatures on Mars would be
considerably warmer, more moderate, and more Earth-like.
Although the length of the Martian year is nearly double our 365-day year,
the seasons on Mars vary and alternate just like on Earth. When the northern
hemisphere is in its summer cycle, the southern hemisphere has its winter.
The length of the Martian day is 24 hours and 37 minutes, and the inclination
of its axis is 25 degrees, which is very close to Earth's 23 degrees.
Both the northern and southern polar caps extend nearly half way to the
Martian equator during their respective winters. With the onset of spring
in either hemisphere, its ice cap recedes and a wave of darkening over
broad areas spreads slowly towards the equator. This cyclic surface darkening
was widely considered to be seasonal vegetation growth as water
was liberated from the polar caps. Each polar cap will shrink considerably
during its respective summer cycle. Sometimes the southern polar cap
melts completely.
The broad areas near the equator, such as Mare Serpentis, Mare
Sirenium, and Syrtis Major, change from their winter shade of brown, to
light green and then to dark green. This latter stage has often been
described as a dark blue-green. Astronomers also noted that as the seasons