On the atmosphere of Mars

Abstract The author refers the origin of the hypothesis of the “Extensive Atmosphere of Mars” to the observations of Cassini and Rœner, made at Briare and Paris in the year 1672. By the former it would seem that a star of the fifth magnitude became invisible with a three-feet telescope when at a distance of six minutes from the planet whilst by the latter the same star, after having undergone occultation by the planet, could not be perceived with a large telescope till Mars had receded from it a distance equal to two thirds of his own diameter; although with the same instrument stars of similar magnitude might be easily distinguished even when in contact with the moon’s limb. As opposed to these observations, the author advances his own. One, dated Blackman-street, February 19, 1822, in which a star of the ninth magnitude as seen with the five-feet equatorial suffered no diminution of its apparent magnitude, at a distance of 103 seconds from the planet. A second, on the night following, when the star 42 Leonis having been seen within a second of a degree of the planet’s limb prior to occultation by the planet, was perceived after emersion, when only one second and one tenth from it; the instruments of observation in this instance were the five-feet equatorial and the thirty-inch Gregorian reflector, the former instrument being used by the author, the latter by Mr. Henry South. The third was made at Campden Hill, on the 17th of March of the present year, with an eight-feet achromatic of six inches aperture; and in this the star 37 Tauri was with a power of 320 seen actually touching the planet’s limb.—The star in neither instance suffered more diminution of brightness than might fairly be attributed to the diffused light of the planet.