The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-05
The Red Sunsets.
IN. Y. Post.l


The gorgeous red twilight which has fol-
lowed the setting of the sun and preceded
its rising during the past three months
seems in fair way of reaching an explana-
ton. As in many other cases, the explana-
tions first proposed are readily shown to be
entirely inadmissable At least one astron-
omer attributed the appearance to a cloud
of minute meteors which perhaps had come
from the tail of some comet. Were this the
case the appearance would have shown it.
self at any time of night and in any part of
the sky. Being in fact only an unusually
red and bright twilight, it could have been
only reflected sunlight. The aurora expla-
nation can be disposed of in the same way.
The aurora would be better seen after the
close of twilight and would appear equally
in every part of the heavens. But the red
glows have always disappeared when the
sun got so far below the horizon that twi-
light ceased. On the other hand, very
simple calculation from the observed heights
of the red arch of Night shows that the sun
light must be reflected from matter forty or
fifty miles above the earth, or near the high
est limit at which air reflects light. The
most natural cause to he assumed at first
sight was an extraordinary condensation of
vapor at this enormous height, perhaps we
might say an unusually high layer of cir
rous clouds. But this explanation became
improbable as news came from various parts
OF the world that the same appearances
were observed on a still larger scale, not on
ly over Europe, but even in India. IT then
became evident that this attenuatsd matter
whatever it was, was scattered over the up,
per regions OF the atmosphere all around the
globe. The question is then raised where
such an extraordinary addition to our at
mosphere could have come from and what
it could be.
To Mr.. j. Norman Lockyer, the noted phy-
sicist OF London, is due the credit of point
ing out what at present appears to be true
explanation. Mr.. Lockyer attributes the ex-
PLANTATION to DR.. Medium, aud it will no
doubt be found that the idea has been sug-
gested by various meteorologists. when the
theory is once established. The theory is
that this extraordinary matter was thrown
up by the volcano of Krakatoa about the end
of August last. The eruption which then
occurred is described as perhaps the most
memorable of which history has given any
account. During its progress an island sew
eral thousand feet high was entirely sub
merged So great was the mass of matter
elected that darkness covered the earth and
sea for many miles around, Tha~proesess
of the elected matter can then be traced
from continen.-tc0 continent, as it was car
ried along by the trade-winds. Its existence
was made known by the singular aspect of
tbs sun, not only when rising and setting,
but in India even near midday, its color be-
ing changed to pale green. Towards the
end of October 1t reached this country and
gave rise to the splendid sunsets which have
been witnessed every clear evening. The
greenish aspect of the sun has also been no
oil QTrf fta fSvsnn Of 4.x k,,k
been conspicuous at other hours.
1t would be interesting to know Just what
form the matter which reflects the light has
assumed. That it should be mere ashes
seems out OF the question, as solid particles
could not remain suspended for so long Pc
Rod in SO rare an atmosphere. Astrono-
mers will, perhaps, see some similarity be-
tween this attenuated form of matter what
ever it may be, and that which, surrounding
the sun, gives rise to the corona. The more
daring spectators can hardly fail to point
out the great similarity between this erup-
ton and its course around the globe and the
eruptions which are constantly recurring
from the surface of the sun of matter which
finds its way around the solar globe. Mr..
Lockyer suggests, with great force, that the
cosmic dust to which Professor Nordenskiold
has called attention has really been elected
by volcanoes on the surface of the earth.
This theory of the brilliant sunsets might
seem open to more serious doubt if the ac-
ton of an analogous cause were not familiar
to u.s. To traveller over the continent it is
very evident that the smoke which SO fire.
quently fills the air over the entire Atlantic
seaboard during he autumn months arises
from the burning of forests and prairie
grass on the Western plains. If he crosses
the Rocky Mountains while this annual con-
fagration is in progress, the distant scenery
which is so charming feature of his jour
ney at other seasons will be entirely shut out
from view. and he will enjoy the paradox
cal experience of crossing the mountains
without seeing them. If he is on his way
East he will find that the smoke which fills
the air from the Sierra Nevada to the Rocky
Mountains is continuous with that which
envelopes the Eastern cities at the same ep-
och. But this smoke never rises to great
height, and so produces none of the brilliant
effects which now arise from vaporous accu-
mutations which now exist at a far greater
height than the highest at which anything
but pure air was ever before known.