Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-08-22
constitutional ggabtg.
ES'td0y EUenimg-, .qws. 10.
FROM The Raleigh Star Of August Is.

'OAl tii1 ~ DnCUO-
.LoI u the Sun was witnessed at this place on
|" 10TH and 18th instant. On the 18th its
srpeiranco was not so extraordinary as on the two
NNio"dng days. On the morning of the 18th, tho
rays OF the sun were observed to wear an uncom-
mon, blush hue, which continued, with some in
crease throughout the day; and as he ascendcd his
circuit IN the heavens, his face assumed a moro
Than ordinary dazzling brilliancy, which prodnoIiv
disappeared with his declination in the afternoon.
una from D to 8 O'Clock, p. NJ. it was as placid as
nmat ths silver Queen of night;' dufing which
pef,po, a dark spot on his disk, inclining to the south
iunp' was visible to the naked eye. Al night the
Iays Oh the moon were unusually dim, and a small
poi,oh oil her edge, on one side, was entirely con.
Sesied' We also note, as a Circumstance not tho
least remarkable, that the western horizon g.
considerable time after the close oftwiligbt. was II.
iuniined like that of the east at s.the rosy dawn NJ
mi a.. a ne same scene was exhibited on the 18th,
v. eut little, ii any, variation.
ms phenomenon has given rise to mpcb e,oor
Ia..oh' VI the various opinions as to it's cause. one
OF TWO only can be correct. 1t must have been
produced by either the density Of tho atmosnbers
or tho intervention of some of the nl,ne,, m,
former superstition is sanctioned by the opinion of
a gentleman distinguished for his literary and CO;
~ n.nc a~cquirements, who Witnessed it; and the lat.
. rs corrooorated by the following series of astro.
nomlcai phenomena, which, according to a writer
~ nai.imore paper, must have occurred in the
spacc Oh a few days. i. Q. from the 9TH to the 18th
instant, to wit: Aug. 4, Venus and The Sim i'm M
positions; z, Mercury and Mars in conjunction. &
gun and Herschel in opposition; Z. Mercury and
Saturn IN conjunction, and sun totally eclipsed: in
'AcpfOt however, IN the United States. b,f Tho
ecnpse was predicted to be uncommonlv GREAT and
oi!ong duration-four hours and fftv-six minutes
sisipie IN the greater part of New Holland and tho
south faciflc Ocean; August 8, Moon and Mars
mconJunctlon; lO, Sun and Jupiter in opposition:
q, Moon and Fenns in conjunction; 12, Mars and
fSaturn in conjunction.
The reader may take his choice of these opin-
aons; or, II lie prefer il, he might adopt the ridi.
cuiou ana superstitious notions of these who. ad.
hering TO the absurd predictions of the ancient AS.
,roiogers, view such events as ominous of some
olreiui catastroPhe-think the world is coming TO
an end, or bloodg war is at hand; cover their Wells
lest the water should be affected bv c.- ..,,.-
9ueity, and use other, and equally silly precautions.
know our patrons are too much enligbtened to
na'"or such sentiments; but this paper may fall into
'ne hands of others for whom we cannot youch.
Inc Phenomenon noticed by the Star, was ap.
parent here, at Norfolk, and no doubt over a large
oA.eht OF country. That it was atmospheric, and
had no connection with the celestial events mem
toned by the Star, is obvious from the fact, that 1t
swas equally true ofsun, moon and stars. The light
~of the sun was about the color of the egg of the
blue bird or cat bird, or it was pea green, and such
also was the appearance of the moon and stars
The halo observed at Raleigh in the western hori-
aon, was also visible here. During two days and
nights, in fact for a day or two after the cessation
OF the Phenomena, the atmosphere was very pecu-
liar. For a large portion of the time there was a
desm calm-the thermometer indicated no extrordi-
naly heat, but the oppression we think was great
er''han we ever knew it, arising no doubt from tho
excessive humidity of the air; the sky was overcast
by white clouds, which seemed fixed and immova-
Die IN their respective stations. The blue and green
put on by the Heavenly hosts, were appearances
occnSionod we imagine, by some unexplained pris-
matte quality of the clouds and vapour, with which
the atmosphere was surcharged. Perhaps the un-
pre- cedented density of the vapours, may alone &C.
count for the discoloration of the SUMS rays; per
haps the exhalations from the earth wore affected
by and tinged with the rank and extraordinary We
getatioE which now covers IL.
The phenomcnan certainly occasioned alarm a.
mong both ignorant and intelligent. The latter saw
in them,' evidences unfavorable to the continued
he alth of the country; occasioned as they evident
iy were, by a hot and humid atmosphere. The for.
mer looked out for no less an event, than the end
of the world. Our ebony friends, were especially
annoyed, and many no doubt, fortunately for them.
selves, had their religious devotion sensi6ly stimu-
lated. Considering the sun shining blue as undeni-
able proof, thatithe end of time approached, one ell
derby black exclaimed, f" Well, ifsinners can stand
1hsts they can stand any thing" We wish some
sinners may not be like Gen. Jackson's popularity,
as u1derStood by Amos Kendall & Co. and prove
themselves able to stand any thing.
We guess our readers already know the fact
or if they have not found it ont themselves, that
they have learned it from our ~noighbor the Compi-
ier-bat as we are on the subject, we may as we'll
remark, that it is still conSunnedty hot. For our part,
we fully expect the hot, close, vapory and phenom-
enonioal weather we have had for some time past,
to wind up with a grand thunder storm.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
PHENoM=NoN.-Half our, population were on Sa-
-turday, after sunset, admiring and wondering at the
ono a~I kaa,ttGul onnoornnno &c 1h. ..te-
horizon. For a long time after the sun bad dlsap-
pearcd the western heavens seemed as one vast sea
of crimson fame; lit up by some invisible agent.
Thousands of our citizens gazed at the spectacle
some with wonder, others with admiration, and
others fearful that it was a sad augury of coming
evil. Superstition is mover idle on such an occasion.
Many conceited that the moon was ''green and
ghastly," and others marvelled that not a solitary
>siaT should glisten in the heavens. The most pro.
Aable solution of this phenomenon may be found in
Tho rarity and warmth of tho atmosphere.
From the NerD York Commercial Advertiser.
Tho like phenomenon was observed in this city,
~on Saturday; and a marked pecDliarity in the aspect
of the. heavens at SUNSET, for several evenings previ-
ously and subsequently to the evening mentioned.
The twilight OF Saturday, however, was the most
FomaIkaoie. The flame, or, rather, tho curtain of
rVermillon that9sghted up a portion of&lfe heavens.
was rather south of west, SO that instead of thinking
1t to be caused by the light of the departing sun,
we Tor some time supposed it to proceed from an
extensive cenHagrstion at Newark. The reflection
upon the waters OF the habor was remarkably strik-
ing. The water and tho various objects upon it's
surface, and its shores, were oil tiugcd with red or
. dingy carDine. The moon was very peculiar in
inSltsapPearance-presenting a lustreless body Of