Interpretation of Surface Features of Mars as a Function of Its Verbal—Toponymic—and Visual Representation - Maps for the Future Children Education and Internet - page 109

Fig. 9.2 Small scale map of Mars showing the Hungarian nomenclature
picture of Mars (Sagan and Fox 1975 ; Lowell 1908 ); but this system of place-names
would not fit the topographic map of Mars.
The survey was made using the map of Mars, and not of the Moon, with which
the students are more familiar (at least visually), because the Lunar nomenclature
uses traditionally false descriptor terms (seas, lakes, etc.) (Whitaker 1999 ; Greeley
and Batson 2007 ), which would unnecessarily add one more variable which affects
the map reader's concept of the surface.
9.4 Results and Discussion
9.4.1 Concepts of Mars Without a Map
What is the surface of Mars like? Two independent surveys have been made: the
first asked this question from 3 to 66 year old persons, including university students.
The results of this survey were reported in detail by Hargitai (2008b). In the
following the results concerning only Mars are presented.
“Wasteland” was a common answer in all age groups. Even university students
responded that they previously imagined Mars as a global plain. This is in good
agreement with the nineteenth century picture of Mars in which Mars was seen as a
global plain (with some possible vegetation). Topographic features were never seen
prior to spacecraft observations from near orbit, because from the Earth it is not
possible to see shadows on Mars: Mars, seen from the direction of the Sun, is
always in or near full phase. (We can easily observe this phenomenon on the Moon
with a small telescope: during full Moon phase, topographic features can't be seen,
only albedo markings divide the surface, while near the terminator line, crater rims