This 1950’s Mars documentary seems positively quaint today

Here’s what we knew of Mars in 1954
By | Published: October 26, 2016 | Last updated on May 18, 2023
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Disney Wiki

An old episode of Disneyland, the hour-long ABC TV program, brings up some topics astronomy lovers will recognize. The video titled Mars and Beyond goes through many different things, including star patterns, potential life on other planets, and what life on Mars would be like.

In 1954 Disney provided ABC with a weekly hour-long TV program in exchange for funding for the construction of Disneyland. The series has gone through many name changes and lasted 54 years.

Along with going over information about Mars, one of the more notable references is at 28 minutes and 28 seconds, when the video starts talking about Percival Lowell and the Lowell Observatory.

From 30 minutes and 51 seconds to 34 minutes and 52 seconds, E.C. Slipher tells us about Mars. E.C. Slipher was an American astronomer who focused on Mars and published Photographic History of Mars (1905-1961).

At 40 minutes and 7 seconds, Werner von Braun, an American aerospace engineer, makes an appearance when they start discussing a suggested anatomic powered space ship that could make a long trip to mars with a small amount of fuel.

You can see the references in the video below.