Worlds at War

The red planet burned in the evening sky and the in dreams of Edward Walter Maunder. He stood in the garden of his London home gazing skyward as he did frequently on clear and moonless summer evenings, mired in a debate over his opinion regarding the true nature of Martian canals. His obsession with the red orb, the most masculine of planets, tested the limits of his scientific knowledge, and he inevitably turned in frustration to the telescope in his greenhouse. It remained there, equilibrated to the outdoor temperature to reduce fogging of its highly polished lenses.

 

It was at one of the early meetings of the British Astronomical Association that Edward crossed paths with Herbert Wells, fifteen years his junior, but a decidedly deeper thinker and consummate debater. Wells and Maunder shared tea frequently over the course of several years as neighbors, developing a deep and intellectually satisfying friendship.

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