Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-10-15

ne-apPearanee or the Strange Phenom.
nom.

The lurid fiery glow in the vesterr stv a,
sunset which year ago was so noticeable.
ana attracted attention so generally .hroueou,
she world. has again made its appearance.
similar displays have been witnessed At
intervals ever since last winter. and ,b.,
lney are due to the same cause which pro-
auced the astonishing red skies of a rear
ago Is rendered probably by the persistence
OF another phenomenon which made its an
pearance at the same time With the original
red CLOVIS. This is the halo which can hs
seen surrounding the sun on any clear day.
and which has not lost any of its intensity
curing the twelve months that have elapsed
since it was first noticed
II is a singular proof of the lack of atten-
tion paid 70 some of the plainest appearances
OF nature, even by men whose lives are
devoted TO the study of natural science. tina,
the question has been raised by well known
saVants whether these sun pageaats really
are unusual phenomena. On this poin, there
can be no longer any doubt It is certain
that the red 2lows referred TO, and the curious
appearance around the sun in the DAYTIME.
are not ordinary aspects Of the sky
The unchangeableness of one OF these phe-
nomena, and the intermittent appearance OF
the other render difficult the attempt to &C
count tor them BY single cause, and We,
tnere are many circumstances which tend 10
show that they have a common origin.
| The explanation which has been most " ide.
iy accepted, namely, that the appearances in
question are due 10 the presence in the at
mosphere Of fine dust thrown out BY the
volcanic explosion in the East Indies a yea,
ago last summer, is open to many objections
although II has many circumstances TO sup
port IT, One of the most serious objections
to this hypothesis is furnished by the reap
pearanc~ Of the red glows several times after
they had almost or quite disappeared After
the supPositious dust had once settled to the
earth it would be diff 'ut TO account for il,
reascent to height of many miles, even b,
the magical aid of electricity. which serve,
az a convenient wonder worker for so man,
obscure theories.
But whatever the cause of the strange
sights in the heavens may be--whether il il
meteOric dust from the star depths, OF
volcanic dust from the bowels of the earth
or no dust at all, but the operation of force,
| inherent in the atmosphere ITSELF
il is pretty clear By this time that it threateu
no peril TO the jewellers upon the EARTH as i
has been asserted by some of the soothsayert
who d, clared that the world was likely t
come to an end. or the human race to b,
annihilated in 1881, on account of the terror
of the periheIia and the revelations of tn,
pyramid of Cheops. The great dry tog o
1888, which produced appearances similar t
those recently witnessed. caused. it is said
various epidemic diseases among men ant
animals; but the present phenomena arr
evidently due to causes which have no effec
upon the salubrity of the atmosphere, and 81
there is nothing to detract from the pleasure
which all who delight in the splendid specta
cles OF nature must derive from beholdin
them.