Chapter 1: The Discovery of Martian Canals

Mars has long fascinated astronomers. The best conditions for observing the planet arise during significant oppositions—when Earth is directly between Mars and the Sun, and Mars is at perihelion, its closest point to the Sun.

These favorable events occur every 16 to 17 years. In 1877, Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli, using a 15-centimeter refractor telescope, identified a series of fine lines on Mars, which he labeled as canals. He subsequently produced a map featuring around a hundred of these canals, a discovery that was later corroborated by other astronomers.

The revelation of these canals sparked widespread intrigue, leading to numerous theories regarding their origin. The primary hypothesis was that these channels were artificial, possibly serving as a network of roads or irrigation systems. Other speculations included the possibility of them being canyons or mountain ranges.

As astronomers prepared for the subsequent significant opposition to gain clearer insights, American astronomer Percival Lowell, who established his observatory in Arizona, was particularly well-equipped. This facility housed the world's largest refractor telescope with a 61-centimeter aperture. During the next great opposition, Lowell meticulously observed and charted numerous Martian canals.

Lowell posited that these canals, approximately 100 kilometers wide, transported water from Mars's polar caps to its parched equatorial regions.

The belief in Martian canals persisted until the late 1960s. In 1969, the Mariner 6 and Mariner 7 spacecraft sent back close-up photographs of Mars, and in 1971, Mariner 9 became the first artificial satellite of Mars, returning a plethora of surface images.

To the astonishment and dismay of many, no canals were visible in these images. Subsequent investigations using advanced space technology continued to find no evidence of canals on Mars, including the images taken by the Hubble Telescope.

Chapter 2: What Did Astronomers Actually See?

The contemporary understanding of the Martian canals suggests that the structures observed by astronomers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were likely the result of optical illusions and visual distortions due to inadequate observational conditions and the limitations of the technology at the time.

Even during that era, not all astronomers reported seeing these canals, and as telescope technology advanced, sightings of these canals became increasingly rare. Observations were made from Earth's surface, meaning that light rays passing through the atmosphere were subject to distortion.

Astronomers viewed the planet's disk through a haze, akin to a mirage over hot asphalt. Observers often spent long hours in front of the telescope, waiting for a moment when the image would clarify and then quickly sketching what they perceived from memory. Given such conditions, errors in observation and influenced perceptions were quite likely.

As observational technology improved, observatories were constructed at higher altitudes to minimize atmospheric effects, leading to the gradual disappearance of the canals from observation.

Currently, no professional telescope can detect these canals. Interestingly, some amateur astronomers, utilizing equipment comparable to that of Schiaparelli and Lowell, occasionally report seeing them. This suggests that the probability of observing canals may be inversely related to the quality of the observational technology—the worse the telescope, the higher the chance of "seeing" canals.

Moreover, another argument against the existence of canals is the lack of agreement among various astronomers’ maps of the canals. Lastly, few take seriously the conspiracy theory that the canals were once present but were hidden by Martians upon the approach of Earthly spacecraft.

In this video, "Percival Lowell and the Canals of Mars," we delve into the life of the astronomer who famously mapped the Martian canals and explored the implications of his findings.

The second video, "Dark Riddle 2 - Mars Gameplay Find Mary Quest 1," offers a unique perspective on Mars through an engaging gameplay experience, blending entertainment with scientific curiosity.

If you enjoy our exploration of space-related topics, please subscribe to our channel and submit your questions for future articles. Your support as a medium member for just $5 monthly greatly contributes to enhancing our content.