A few years ago, my husband and I watched the movie, “John Carter of Mars”. Was it brilliant cinema? Of course not, but it was very entertaining, and we’ve watched it several times, since. That led me to read Edgar Rice Burroughs’, of Tarzan fame, Mars series, which, believe it or not, was very exciting and entertaining. His take on the mysterious Red Planet, for its day, was in the realm of possibility for many readers.
Wikipedia has the following entry:
“Because of the part Burroughs’s science fiction played in inspiring real exploration of Mars, an impact crater on Mars was named in his honor after his death.[28] In a Paris Review interview, Ray Bradbury said of Burroughs that “Edgar Rice Burroughs never would have looked upon himself as a social mover and shaker with social obligations. But as it turns out – and I love to say it because it upsets everyone terribly – Burroughs is probably the most influential writer in the entire history of the world.”[29] Bradbury continued that “By giving romance and adventure to a whole generation of boys, Burroughs caused them to go out and decide to become special.”
As exciting as the Mars landing and future exploration is, wouldn’t it be fun if Burroughs’ version were true?
More wiki:
The story is set on Mars, imagined as a dying planet with a harsh desert environment. This vision of Mars was based on the work of the astronomer Percival Lowell, whose ideas were widely popularized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.<<<
And wouldn't you know it... a couple of days ago I was reading up on Percival Lowell after wandering around some maps. I had ended up at the Lowell Observatory which is on "Mars Hill".
Always a fan of seemingly unrelated things connecting in the weirdest ways, that's the name of the place of "first light" (sunrise) on America from Mar 25 (Feast of the Annunciation) - Sept 18. Also "First Wind."
"In astronomy, first light is the first use of a telescope (or, in general, a new instrument) to take an astronomical image after it has been constructed."