Talk:Martian canal
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[edit] Canali
I always understood that the Italian word "canali" was misinterpreted as canals. Canali could mean canal (as in manmade river) or just channel (witch could be naturally formed). Schiaparelli meant the lather, I thought. Perhaps something to look up...
- Het_genie
[edit] Opposition?
This article repeatedly mentions "opposition" (E.G. the "opposition of 1874"). Please explain what this is supposed to mean in this context on first use, because it is quite unclear at present.
--IRelayer 17:01, 17 April 2006 (UTC)
Very briefly, it means that the planet is on the opposite point from the Sun in the sky, which means it's both at its closest distance to Earth and visible most clearly to earthbound observers. But surely the link to opposition (astronomy) should be enough to fill in those not familiar with the term? Orcoteuthis (talk) 11:16, 19 January 2008 (UTC)
- indeed, i didn't know what opposition was, so i clicked on the link. i think we can call this matter closed - Shadowsill (talk) 15:59, 6 June 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Illusion?
It would helpful if someone would describe the nature of this "optical illusion" that causes people to see non-existant canals. Drutt 12:38, 11 March 2007 (UTC)
- good call, added a bit.. sbandrews 13:51, 11 March 2007 (UTC)
[edit] germination -> gemination
I've done little editing, so I'm reluctant to make this change.
The article has
'Some observers saw a phenomenon they called "germination", or doubling — two parallel canals.'
I was just reading Scientific American's reprint of their review of a Percival Lowell book: http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa026&articleID=1C26A61F-E7F2-99DF-3A3A10BD449164B9&pageNumber=2&catID=4 It includes
'It appears that in some cases certainly, and possibly in all, the dual aspect is not a temporary condition, but a permanent state marked with varying intensity, the fact of "gemination," so called, being confined to a filling out of what is always there in skeleton. '
"Germinate" is from Latin "germen", meaning 'seed' (http://www.bartleby.com/61/45/G0104500.html). "Geminate", "1. To double. 2. To arrange in pairs" is from Latin "geminus", meaning 'twin' (http://www.bartleby.com/61/39/G0073900.html). E.g., Gemini, the constellation of the Twins. "Geminate" is obviously far more appropriate for a phenomenon of doubling in particular.
I could change "germinate" to "geminate", but I don't know how to cite the Scientific American article in a Wikipedia article.
-- Tim McDaniel, tmcd@panix.com (don't have my Wikipedia login info with me)
[edit] Valles Marineris
Modern science recognizes one very prominent linear feature on Mars, Valles Marineris. If any of the canal observations were rooted in reality, then maps of the canals should match up with at least this one feature. Since maps were drawn at a known date and time, the real and imagined maps should actually be possible to compare directly, with precise latitudes and longitudes, if someone has the skill and patience to work out the astronomy. Is anyone up to the challenge? Thanks! 70.15.116.59 03:16, 7 October 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Illusion
I believe that he and others, escpecially the others, using their eyes and equipment at the limit of their power, simply experienced a case of wishful thinking delusion. However, it may be that Schiaparelli and some others actually saw a faint reflection of their own capillaries in their own eyes which are organized in a way that resembles the canal drawings. This is something that actually has happened to me when I use certain makes of binoculars. Unfortunately, I do not know of a name of the phenomenon. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.234.174.228 (talk) 12:28, 18 March 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Cause of Illusion
I discovered on the internet that the reason for the illusion of the canals was that the telescope Giovanni was using had a flaw in it causing the illusions of canals. Wizard 109109 (talk) 14:17, 11 April 2008 (UTC)
[edit] Neutrality
Many researchers still support the idea that there are canals on Mars. Although this view is not accepted by mainstream science, their views should be shown and documented along with the historical debate. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 166.128.222.199 (talk) 00:35, 10 May 2008 (UTC)
Please provide more information. Are they actually researchers or amateur astronomers? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.70.9.105 (talk) 16:59, 2 June 2008 (UTC)
