Garrett Putman Serviss: Stories

The dominion which astronomy has always held over the minds of men is akin to that of poetry; when the former becomes merely instructive and the latter purely didactic, both lose their power over the imagination. Astronomy is known as the oldest of the sciences, and it will be the longest-lived because it will always have arcana that have not been penetrated....

Edison attempts to stave off a Martian attack on Earth -- with his own invasion of Mars!