As I flip the pages of my diary I came across a quote: “The known is finite the unknown is infinite, intellectually we stand on the islet in the midst of an illimitable ocean of inexplicability. Our business in every generation is to reclaim a little more land!”
……………….T.S. Huxley 1887
I lay on my back in the open pondering gazing at the star studded heaven. Tiny sparkling lamps, who made them? What makes them shine? I could see a bright red star. It is called mangal tara I learnt. We call it Mars in English.
I was fascinated by Mars. I found out that it’s the fourth planet of our Solar System. I was amazed that we could see this beautiful planet with our naked eye. Soon I focused my telescope towards the sky.
Mars is named after the Roman God of War. The reddish appearance is due to the ironoxide present in its soil. Mars atmosphere is thin, comprising mostly of carbon dioxide some molecules of nitrogen argon and very small quantity of water vapour. The ozone layer is very small causing the infiltration of ultraviolet radiation. Because Mars is farther from Sun than the Earth its temperature is considerably
lower. Of all the planets of our solar system Mars seasons are most Earth like due to the similar tilts of the two planets rotational axis.
Mars has two moons 1)Phobos 2) Diemos
The National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) are probing Mars for any possibility of Life. They have sent reconnanissance satellite in the orbit . The spirit rover and opportunity are sending information. Mars is thoroughly mapped.
The landing on moon in 1969 has opened a new era for the humans. The renowned astronomer Carl Sagan says that, “If we survive , our time will be famous for two things1) at this dangerous moment of technological adolescence we managed to survive self destruction and because this is the epoch in which we began our journey to Stars!”
Talking about Mars it should be mentioned about two great scientist 1) Percival Lowell 2) Wolf Vishnaic.
……………….T.S. Huxley 1887
I lay on my back in the open pondering gazing at the star studded heaven. Tiny sparkling lamps, who made them? What makes them shine? I could see a bright red star. It is called mangal tara I learnt. We call it Mars in English.
I was fascinated by Mars. I found out that it’s the fourth planet of our Solar System. I was amazed that we could see this beautiful planet with our naked eye. Soon I focused my telescope towards the sky.
Mars is named after the Roman God of War. The reddish appearance is due to the ironoxide present in its soil. Mars atmosphere is thin, comprising mostly of carbon dioxide some molecules of nitrogen argon and very small quantity of water vapour. The ozone layer is very small causing the infiltration of ultraviolet radiation. Because Mars is farther from Sun than the Earth its temperature is considerably
lower. Of all the planets of our solar system Mars seasons are most Earth like due to the similar tilts of the two planets rotational axis.
Mars has two moons 1)Phobos 2) Diemos
The National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) are probing Mars for any possibility of Life. They have sent reconnanissance satellite in the orbit . The spirit rover and opportunity are sending information. Mars is thoroughly mapped.
The landing on moon in 1969 has opened a new era for the humans. The renowned astronomer Carl Sagan says that, “If we survive , our time will be famous for two things1) at this dangerous moment of technological adolescence we managed to survive self destruction and because this is the epoch in which we began our journey to Stars!”
Talking about Mars it should be mentioned about two great scientist 1) Percival Lowell 2) Wolf Vishnaic.
A Bostonian Scientist Percival Lowell had life long love for Mars. He was obsessed by the thought that life did exist on Mars. Before his death in 1916 he had made a remarkable contribution towards Mars also to the knowledge of expanding universe and he discovered planet Pluto. The first initials PL are from his name Percival Lowell.
Vishnaic an extraordinary microbiologist from the University of Rochester in New York. Vishnaic spent 12 years in making devise (called wolf trap) to be sent to Mars in search for microorganism. He created Mars like enviorment on Earth in the dry vally of Antartica. He had succeded in generating microorganism. On Nov.8, 1973 he reached Antartica with one of his friend a geologist. A month later they were to collect the samples of their experiments. On Dec 10, 1973 he (Vishnaic ) met with an accident. His body was recovered at the base of a cliff. Many of Vishnaics microbiological stations are still sitting in Antartica.
Another great Cosmologist and Mathematician Stephan Hawking says, We shall be able to generate life on Mars in the coming years. We shall have to create oxygen water in liquid form and gravity there.
This general concept is called Terra forming, the changes of alien landscape into one more suitable for Human Beings.!
My above article got published in Hitavada dt.5/9/2010
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