The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1889-11-08
"sHINlNG NIGHT CLOUDS"
Phenomenon Which May
Not Be Seen Again for Centu-

Celestial Phenomenon Which May
Not Be Seen Again for Centu-
ries.
Since the summer Of 1885 there has
appeared annually a curious celestial
phenomenon at night, known as the
s.shining night Clouds" says the New
York Herald. They have been visible
IN ATTITUDES from 40 to 60 degrees,
chiefly in June, July, and early August,
but later in the year in equatorial re-
gions. Twice last December they
were reported from Punta Arenas, South
America.
One of the first appearances OF the
clouds was described by Robert c.
Leslie in Nature of July 16, 1885, as
seen about 10 p. M, near Southamp-
ton, England. A sea of luminous sill
very white cloud lay above belt of
ordinary twilight sky. The clouds
were wavelike at great elevation, ex-
tending all the way from west to north,
and radiant with light closely resem-
bling that which shines from
white phosphor paint. AS wit
messed in Bavaria at a late hour
on three nights in June and July, 1885,
the coloring of the clouds was pale
steel blue, gradually changing through
a dull green to yellow and orange be-
low. They have generally presented
colors of a light tone, but the intense
pearly brilliance of iridescent clouds,
and sometimes have an altitude as
high as 80 degrees. Some persons
have supposed that they are lighted
by the sun. But, as observed last
July ID in England, they were invisi-
BILE until 1918 p. m. when they be-
came conspicuous and were at their
brightest near midnight. It has been
suggested that these sky wonders may
be formed by the condensation of
gases elected from the Krakatoa vol
cano in 1883. But this theory is not
plausible. From their periodicity and
their enormous altitude it seems very
doubtful whether they belong at all to
earth's atmosphere.
Herr O. Jesse of the Berlin astro-
nomical observatory, referring to
these facts in recent circular, ap-
peals to mariners and all others to
make observations on these clouds
during the next three months His
request is made more urgent by the
consideration that, as the mysterious
phenomenon was never noticed till
1885, it may soon disappear not to be
seen again for centuries. Herr Jesse
therefore requests that all who OBJ
serve the shining clouds will record
exact latitudes and longitudes OF the
place of observation, the exact time,
the part of the sky in which the phe-
nomenon is seen, form and color of
clouds, also sextant observations of
the altitude of their highest points at
precisely noted times, with spectre
scopic tests of their light.
BY photography the height Of these
clouds above the earth's surface has
been made out as exceeding forty-fve
miles. From this fact it has been in
ferred that they may be of extra ter
restrial origin, perhaps revealing the
existence of a resisting medium in in
terplanetary space. If so they would
confirm the hypothesis of Encke, based
on observations of the celebrated comet
which bears his name. that there is a
medium pervading space which offers
resistance to moving body just as the
air opposes the flight of a cannon-ball
Eminent physicists have long reas-
oned that luminiferous ether prevades
all space, and some have supposed it to
be highly elastic, but absolutely solid.
If the observations called for by Herr
Jesse are accurately taken and prove
that the height of the shining clouds
exceeds the limits of our atmosphere
the result might be a very important
addition to the worlds knowledge of
cosmical agencies.
The luminous night clouds have only
been seen in the twilight, after the sun
is about ten degrees below tho horri-
zon. They resemble cirrus or ice
clouds. But the two can be distin-
guished, because cirrus in twilight are
always darker than the surrounding
sky, while the shining night-clouds are
always brighter than the surrounding
sky. As this summer may offer the
last opportunity for observing the
mysterious phenomenon it is to be
hoped the Berlin astronomers appeal
will not I've in vain.
A Doubling Thomas.
Wo bod hoop IN Now Pod f0rl Nv,