The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1876-04-22
THE ZODI1C1L LIGHT.


The Uonde'f"l Phenomenon at Present Pis-
IDLE in Our Erening Sky.
There is now visible upen our western
heavens, after sunset, a strange illumina-
ton known rs the ''Zodiacal Light"
which generally makes it appearance at
this season of the year. This phenome-
non has attracted the attention of astron-
omers from time immemorial, but has
never been satisfactorily explained. The
form of the zodiacal light is that of a
cone or pyramid, with its base directed
towards the sun and its axis nearly in
the plane of the ecliPtic. Its light is |
like that of the milky way, or that of |
the faint twilight, thin enough to let the |
stars be seen through it, and seems to |
surround the sun in the form of lens,
the plane OF which is nearly coincident
with that of the suns equator. The ap-
parent angular distance of its vertex
from the sun varies from forty to ninety
degrees, and the breadth of it's base, per-
pendicular to its axis, from eight to thir-
| ty degrees. 1t is supposed to extend be-
yond the orbit of Mercury, and even as
far as that of Venus, but never so far as
the orbit of the earth. This phenomenon
| was noticed by Prof. Childrey in the
year 1860, but it was afterwards more
particularly observed and described by
the celebrated astronomer, Prof. Cassini,
in the spring of 1858. Prof J. d. Steele
gives the following description Of the
zodiacal light in his little book entitled
" Fourteen Weeks in Astronomy :"
If we watch the western horizon in
March or April, just after sunset, we
will sometimes see the short twilight of
that season illuminated by faint, trem-
ulous light, of conical shape, flashing
upward often as high as the pleiades. In
| September and October at early dawn
the same appearance can be detected
near the eastern horizon. The light can
be seen in this latitude only on the most
favorable evenings, when the sky is clear
and the moon absent. Even then it viii
be frequently COMPOUNDED with the milky
way or auroral lights. At the base it
of reddish hue, where it is so brigh a
frequently to efface the smaller stars.
In tropical regions the zodiacal light is
perpetual, and shines with brilliancy
sufficient, says Humboldt, to cast sem
sible glow on the other parts of the
heavens. Various opinions have been
entertained by astronomers as to the
cause of this remarkable phenomenon;
but as it always accompanies the sun, it
is known not to be of terrestrial origin.
The commonly received opinion is, that
it is caused by faint, cloud-like ring,
perhaps a metoric zone, that surrounds
the sun, and only becomes visible to us
when the sun himself is below the hOri-
ION. Other astronomers maintain that
since it has been seen in tropical regions
in the east and west simultaneously, it
can be explained only on the theory of a
"nebulous ring that surrounds the earth
within the orbit of the moon" But the
theory is now generally accepted by as
tronomers that this phenomenon is
caused by small metoric bodies which the
earth is constantly encountering, and
which, on entering our atmosphere, become
shooting stars" Too small to be seen
separately, even with the telescope, they
combine in countless numbers, according
to this theory, to reflect to our eyes the
strange light in question, borrowing it
from the sun, around which they all re-
, volve.
JEWISH RESTORATION IN PALESTINE.
The prophecies regarding the restora-
what Of c h sffsted 6y the recent
movements of Sir Moses lIontefiore in
behalf of purchasing land for his coun-
trymen there, and for improving the ma
terial condition of the resident Jews. He
found that recently a lot of land fifty
yards by one hundred. or five thousand
square yards, outside of the walls of the
holy city, had been sold for $4,000 pi-
astres, or about 81 ,035. Near by, lot
measuring Is, 900 square yards, with trees
and vines, with small buildings and a
urge cistern, was offered for $4,000. A
whole village could be bought at mod
crate price, and the Turkish government
professed to be friendly to the plan of
improving the industry of the country
by settlements and buildings. A COM
pany has purchased tract of land near
Jerusalem, with the intention of build
ing upon it fifty houses. So it is that
business and education are working to-
gether with religion upon the future of
civilization.
Japan has NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. con-
troversy, the Buddhists endeavoring to
have the reading of the Bible in the