Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-11-07
The Strange Splendors in the Sky.

The fiery appearance Of the western
sky after shutdown, which excited much
attention and wonderment in all quar-
ters OF the world last year, has recent
iy again become conspicuous phenom-
enon. Last evening in particular the
skies glowed with splendid shades OF
red and crimson, and SO brilliant was
the display that son.e persons thought
great fire was raging, Long after
the sun had disappeared lurid red
light hung over the western horizon,
while the darkened heavens overhead
reflected a faint tinge OF pink. Similar
displays have been witnessed at inter
walls ever since last winter, and that
they are due to the same cause which
produced the astonishing red skies OF a
year ago is rendered probable by the
persist ence of another phenomenon
which made it's appearance at the same
time with the original red glows. This
IS the halo which can be seen. sur
rounding the sun On any clear day, and
which has not lost any of it's intensity
during the twelve months that have
elapsed since it was first noticed.
1t is singular proof of the lack Of
attention paid to some Of the plainest
appearances of Nature, even by men
whose lives are devoted to the study of
natural science, that the question has
been raised by well-known savans
whether these sum pageants really are
unusual phenomena. On this point
there can be no longer any doubt. It
is certain that the red glows referred
to, and the curious appearance around
the sun in the daytime are not ordinary
aspects Of the sky.
The unchangeablenes Of one of these
phenomena and the intermittent ap
pearance of the other render difficult
the attempt to account for them by a
single cause, and yet there are many
circumstances which tend to show that
they have a common origin.
The explanation which has been most
widely accepted, namely, that the APP
pearances in question are due to the
presence in the atmosphere of fine dust
thrown out by the volcanic explosion
in the East Indies year ago last sum-
mer, is: open to many objections, al
though it has also many circumstances
to support it. One Of the most serious
objections to this hypothesis is furnished
by the temperance Of the red glows
several times after they had almost or
quite disappeared. After the supposti-
tious dust had once settled to the earth
it would be difficult to account for its
reascent to height of many miles, even
by the magical aid of electricity, which
serves as a convenient wonder worker
for so many obscure theories.
But whatever the cause of the strange
sights in the heavens may be-whether
it is meteoric dust from the tar depths,
Or volcanic dust from the bowels Of the
earth, or no dust at all hut the opera
ton Of forces inherentin the atmosphere
itself-it is pretty clear by this time
that it threatens no peril to the dwell
ers upon the earth, as has been assert
ed by some of the same soOthsayers
who declared that the world was likely
to come to an end, Or the human race
to be annihilated, in 1881, on account
of the terrors of the perihe]ia aud the
revelations OF the pyramid Of Cheops.
The great dry fog of 1888, which pro-
duced appearances similar to those re-
Gently witnessed, caused, it is said,
various epidemic diseases among men
and animals; but the present phenom-
ena are evidently due to causes which
have no effect upon the salubrity Of the
atmosphere, and 50 there is nothing to
detract from the pleasure which all who
delight in the splendid spectacles OF
Nature must derive from beholding
them. New York Sun.