Schiaparelli Mars Map, 1877-78

Schiaparelli Mars Map, 1877-78

Giovanni Virginio Schiaparelli (1835-1910) was an Italian astronomer and science historian. In 1888, Schiaparelli announced the discovery of a network of narrow lines on Mars, which he described as "canali," an Italian word that means "channels." In Italian, the word can mean a natural channel like a river valley. Schiaparelli's drawings show winding lines that look natural. Unfortunately, English speakers interpreted "canali" as "canals," which are artificial. Some people went so far as to propose the idea that the canals were irrigation canals built by a supposed intelligent civilization on Mars. This drawing of Mars is based on observations at Schiaparelli's Brera Observatory in Milan conducted between September 1877 and March 1878. Mars, also called the Red Planet, is the fourth planet from the sun, having a reddish-orange surface with numerous dark patches and two white polar caps. It has a thin atmosphere, mainly carbon dioxide, and low surface temperatures. Spacecraft encounters have revealed a history of volcanic activity and running surface water. The planet has two tiny satellites, Phobos and Deimos.

Album / Science Source / New York Public Library

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4800 x 2479 px | 34.0 MB

40.6 x 21.0 cm | 16.0 x 8.3 in (300 dpi)