Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-08-26
The Red Glow in the Sky.
A PECULIAR AND UNEXPLAINED PHENoME-
NON RE-APPEARS.
Washington Post. ]

Washington Post
1t will be remembered by many how
great an interest was excited over the
whole world about two years ago by the
appearance at sunset and sunrise of beau
tiful glows above the sun. This appearance
was one of the utmost interest, as it was
prolonged long after the usual twilight,
sometimes assuming so bright a hue as to
give cause for an alarm of fire in several
Cities an instance of this kind occurring
on the night of November Goth in New Ha-
ven. These glows were prominent in sci
entific discussions for more than year,
| and their origin has never been fully decid-
ed upon. Two prominent views have been
held. Some think that they are simple
intensiication Of the ordinary twilight
phenomenon, caused by the presence of
moisture to greater height than usual in
the atmosphere. Others have thought
that, since the glows became prominent
after the great eruption of Krakatra, they
must have been caused by the immense
quantities Of ashes elected into the atuos-
phere at that time.
The interest in this special phenomenon
was in part transferred during the past
year to the whitish glare about, the sun,
which could easily be observed when the
sun was partly hidded By couds, or by
standing behind the vertical edge of wall
and allowing the glare to appear beyond
the sun, the sun itself being hidden by the
wall. Careful observations of this glare
have been made by observers in Europe,
and while there seemed to be some cameo
tion with the previous glow, this could not
be satisfactorily established. The astrono-
mers have been somewhat troubled by this
glare, as it interfered with the more deli
cate observations. Inquiry at the Naval
Observatory has developed the fact that
this unpleasant glare has largely disappear
ed within a few months, and that seeing is
much better.
Another interesting fact must have been
noted by maHy, and that is the beginning
again of the sun-glows. Last Monday
night, at 7:30, the Western sky presented
a very fine spectacle. There was bril-
liant orange color extending to forty-fve
degrees above the horizon, and through
this there were three streaks of clear blue
running upward from the sun. This first
glow died away in fifteen minutes, and was
followed later by a secondary rose color,
which lasted till after $50.
Last night the same first glow was seen
at 1898, with it's streaks, and in addition
there were the corpuscular rays in the
east, lasting for five minutes from 7 20 This
first glow faded at 1880, and was followed
by light second glow.
This second appearance, occurring so
near the anniversary of the first, is of great
Importance. If it is renewal of the first
phenomenon it will be plain that the Kra-
katra explosion has been wrongly ascribed
as cause.
If, however, this is the last stage of the
original phenomenon which appeared Sec
ondarily in the giares already mentioned,
then it will be very interesting to observe
the gradual disappearance.
If there are any ashes in the atmosphere,
and if they are now working down, then
there ought to be some signs of them in
the rainfall. Observations would be valua-
BILE at any point in the country in order to
ascertain whether them eteorolgoical condi-
tions effect the phenomenon. Simple OBJ
servations may be made of the time of
beginning of the first and second glows
and the time of last disappearance. The
glare, if any, about the sun and the haze
over the moon should also be noticed.
Scientists, by these observations, hope to
advance their knowledge largely of this
appearance, even though final solution
may not be attained.