Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-09-02
THE SOLAR PHENOMENON.
Exclamation and Superstition.

Explanation ana SuperstltlOn.
Those of our readers who Glanced TO
turn their gaze skywarl at about eleven
o'clock Yesterday morning, were both
gratihed and puzzled 10y observing
phenomenon of rather infrequent &C.
currence in this latitude; there being
visible, directly overhead, three dis
tinct. well defined sun-halOs. The IN
ner and brighter one OF these, surround
ed the sun at a distance otabout twenty
two degrees from his disk and reflected
the prismatic colors in Il very beautiful
manner. The other two were onl Y ares
of circles, having their centres IN the
circumference OF the inner one, and
terminating where they intersected
the central ring. They presented
the appearance OF beautiful feath-
cry bands of clouds, circularin form and
OF a brilliant, dazzling white, very try
ing 10 the eyes. Numbers OF persons
were observing them either through
colored glasses or with the naked eye,
and widely different opinions were given
rs 10 their nature and import.
In higher ATTITUDES they are seen
much oitener, and are sometimes ac-
companied by spots OF great brilliancy,
both of light and color, formed by their
intersection, and known as parhella or
mock suns. These singular appearan-
ces always take place when there Is
present in the upper strata OF the atmos-
phere an evenly ditiused stratum of thin
cloud, the kind called cirri, at such an
altitude that the cold prevailing in those
high regions converts the minute partl-
Giles Of mist, which compose the clouds,
into tiny Ice crystals. Those
of these little ice prisms
which are distant about twenty-five de-
grees from the sun, are situated at such
an angle as regards the sun and the
spectator that they decompoSe the rays
OF light which reach us by passing
through them, and thus produce the ef-
fects which we see. When at 4 distance
of about iortv-one degrees from the sun,
the light, instead oil being transmitted,
is simply reflected by the mass OF crys-
tails. and Il circular band OF teathcry
white is thus made visible.
II is but recently that knowledge OF
the true nature OF these phenomena has
been gained They have always been
regarded by the superstitlous as OF SUI
pernatural origin, and have been con-
sidcrcd ominous portents, signs OF celes..
tial ire, presages OF the death OF
princes. forcrunncrS OF famine and
pcstilence. and indications OF dire
calamities generally. Very brilliant
halos made their appearance around the
sun for several days during Napoleon 5
campaign in Russia, and while the
French army was occupying the city OF
Moscow, lust before its destruction IN
1872. OF course i'm the representations
minds oil both Muscovite and Gaul, the
phenomena had direct relation TO mill
tarv events about to occur, and greatly
added to the diSmay produced soon after
by the great contlagration.
The historian JosephuS relates that ut
the beginning Oi the seige OF Jerusalem
bv the Romans, \. ID. 20, the
Jews ioresaw their disaster lin
armies marching upon red clouds
Similar startling appearances are
reported To have been seen before
the battle OF AuStcrlitz, and were Pla inly
visible at the commencement oil tho
siege OF Paris in 1870. In short, when
tNtI NNlNEllil 'i'hilAANA'H WV
dent in time with any great national
event they have always been supposed
by the supcrstitiously inclined to have
some direct connection with that event.
Even at the present time, and in our
good old staid city Of Wheeling. the APP
pcaranccS Of yesterday caused many
IniSgivings i'm the minds OF some per.
sons. \ worthy German citizen traced
the balciul influence which the halos
had cXcrtcd over the cases Of diph-
iberia which prevail in that
part OF town, and in n pro-
phetic spirit predicted that the time
was not far distant when one united
con hagration Of all the oil wells OF the
world would produce grand cremation
OF the earth and all its contents.
Besides this, wehave several well au-
thenticatcd cases OF genuine fright about
the city, cases where supcIstitious per
sons thought best to implore Irvine aid
to arrest the impending catastrophe.
Have we taken a backward leap into
the dark aces?