Final Project

Danielle W.

Legislator:  Royce B. West, Senator

Mars of the Mind

Honestly I can say that during my research and study with the Texas Aerospace Program my essay writing and way of interpreting subjects have
really improved. Each lesson supplied me with more new and exciting elements about space that I never imagined. I went from reading information on space
shuttles and other transportation systems to the way humans can colonize on the moon or even Mars. Although each lesson brought forth a more complex
assignment, I enjoyed exercising my mental ability to adapt and understand different lessons. The most inspiring lesson that caught my eye was Mars of
the Mind. This unit was very informing and although lesson 7 was brief it contained a great deal of information that I retained.

The introduction of the chapter gave me the concept of the ancient beginning of technology that provided a foundation towards observing objects in space in the future. Mars has always been known as the Martian planet where green man live. But it this was found only to be a misinterpretation of the fascinating planet called Mars. This lesson allowed me to understand the ancient way of observing the close planet called Mars. I learned that the
ancient people did not know that the stars were nothing more than suns. This was not something that they were able to interpret with the naked eye. At
that time the only thing that they could see was the yellow orange color blazing from the night's sky. Since planets moved relative to the background
stars, many people of the ancient time believed that planets were gods from above. Many had names for each star such as Jupiter and Mars. Not only did
this chapter contain some of Mar's history but there was a little fun in it for me as well. Mars of the Mind provided a star map, which located Mars in the night's sky. I now know that Mars is visible in the early morning and in the month of June.
One of my favorite astronomers Galileo was believed to be one of the first people to use a spyglass to observe the heavenly bodies. I considered him as one of my favorite astronomers because he stood up for what he believed. Although he was ordered to revoke his work, he continued to observe the planets in order understand the universe.  With this he was able to conclude that Mars was a spherical body illuminated by the sun. Galileo continued his telescopic research on the red planet and encouraged other great astronomers such as Huygens to construct designs. Huygens was able to record many drawings and the first features of Mars with his strong telescope. The uses of telescopes enable the human society to expand their
thoughts and ideas about distant planets. The world should appreciate great scientist like Galileo because they were the beings who began the bursting age of technology. Technology from the recent years could only advance until scientists are able to observe every part of the universe. Each telescope became larger and larger as the years pasted and soon were able to see visions in the universe that we never imagined.

By this time Mr. Schiparelli mapped and named the red planet with mythological sources. With the help of history he was able to map the dark and light areas; seas and continents. He was most known for the name "canali". This insinuated that there was intelligent life on Mars. The sound of canals was all that the world needed to here back in the eighteen
hundreds. Canals were major production in those days and just thinking of the word canal probably made society think of water. A rich astronomer by the name of Lowell took upon himself to map and list canals that did not even exist. In fact there were never canals on the planet Mars. It was only a
figment of his imagination or an optical illusion. Maybe it was the way or positioning of the planet against the sun's glare. It could even been dry
channels that once flowed two to three billion years ago.

I was able to view drawings that astronomer Lowell imagined. Other pictures came from observations that showed the lines that Lowell seen that
could have been similar to canals. Telescopes have improved a great deal since the eighteen hundreds and pictures show up much more clearly. In the
section about a visit to Mars, I was able to observe pictures of Mars's crater, clouds, sand dunes and dust storms. I also noted a few things about
the red planet's two moons called Deimos and Phobos. These were considered to be a piece of a meteorite. Both took on a very rough and bumpy surface.  Mars craters are living signs of impact from comets and meteorites over the centuries. In 1997, scientist was able to send a spacecraft to Mars, which successfully deployed a rover out to explore the Martian terrain. The tiny life or bacteria samples found in the rocks of Mars are suspected to be life from meteorites that came in contact with the red planet. Many scientists
believe that it is possible to maintain life on Mars but only underground.

Others believe that it at the poles might lie life beneath the frozen ice. It is now proven that if we thicken Mars's atmosphere then hopefully plants will flourish thus providing a beginning point for life to evolve.

Mars of the Mind is just what it says. I say this because as I read this chapter it made me think of questions about Mars that I wanted answers to. Many of my questions were answered such as "How were the areas of Mars mapped?" and " Where in the night's sky is Mars located?" Each section gave
me a little information to ponder over and make assumption in which I must research in order to determine facts. The extended mission gave the reader the opportunity to construct their personal telescope or even watch a movie about the red planet.

Chapter seven was a great introduction about Mars. I really enjoyed reading about the history of our distant planet. It makes me feel grateful for the courageous beings in the field of science who made our lives easier as the years passed. They were building blocks into the future. Now it is our time to build the blocks for the future generations.  Maybe in this generation we will be able to experience the first Man Mars walk. This is will lead into future planetary walks for many to come. We have so much more to learn about our close planet and the more we learn the better our chances are for successfully finding life or even colonizing. Who knows, maybe Mars could be the next best thing to home.

Three sources:
1.) www.aerospacescholars.org/scholars/earthmars.htm
2.) http://www.search.gallery.yahoo=mars
3.) www.planets.com

Last Updated:  07/09/01