Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-09-13
WAY IaE sKY q al0E.
a Variety Of Rrss.Ineet IIsaSsI,x MT.
ClOVNrly Anaiyx@.i i.stiS

You noVc al noticed" y. said m AZ.
tronomcr to Cincinnati Tines-Star
man, that when We look away from tho
sun into tho cloudlcss sky, the heavens
appear blue; when, however, wo look in
the direction Of the sun. especially
when, after sunset, We look toward tho
western horizon, tho color is y yellow
ish red. With tho spcctroscopo it can
DO shown that the whi.o light from tho
sun IL produced by = ininglins OF differ
ont colored rays. Indcod this can DO
shown by means Of any triangular
prism, say ono OF tho pendants Of a
chandelier. Ono CT these placed in tho
path Of y beam of light will project on
screen band OF seven colors-red,
orange, yellow, groom, light bluc. dark
blue and violet. Understanding this,
VIC can readily 500 how the effect IS blue
when picco Of blue glass is interposcd,
or rcd when rcd glass is used. All but
tho blue and red rays respectively arc
absorbed; these, however. pass through
frccly, and VIC say that tho body is
blue, or rcd, when really tho color
IS not property of tho glass in any truo
ecnsc. but OF tho sunlight. What has
this to do with tho sky colors? l will
now show you. Dissolve q little white
castillo soap in n tum blcr of water, 80 US
to mako tho watcralightly turEid. Place
black screen behind tho tuE1blcr and
hold tho whole so that tho sunlight
must DO reflected from tho liquid before
1t can reach your cyo. Tho liquid will
appear blue. Hold it next in = direct
limo toward tho sun and it appears yol-
lowish rcd. Now these arc tho exact ap-
pearancos of tho sky. Sky light Is re-
fracted light. Tho water particles in
tho atmosphere, like tho particlo3 OF
soap in tho water, rctract blue light;
whilo the background of darkness sur.
rounding tho Garth replaced Tho black
screen. Tho atmosphere. like tho solu-
sion OF soap and water. transmits yell
low and red rays but slightly rcfracted.
while tho blue, being q weak color, is
refracted too low to be soon; hence when
wo look toward tho source of light in
tho evening or morning tho sky is of q
yellowish rcd C lor. This effect is moro
pronounced then than during tho day,
because when tho sun is near tho hori-
ION tho rays travel q grcatcr distance in
tho air IL order to reach tho earth than
whom directly above US. Consequently
tho blue raya arc moro thoroughly
rcfractcd.
Tho atmosphere has many cffeots in
modifying tho appearance of tho Sky
and tho heavenly bodies. Look at Venus
over thcro ncar tho western horizon and
just below tho crescent moon, which has
como into plain Wow whilo wo have
been talking ION account OF tho deepen
ing darlrncss). Its real distance from
the horizon is not rs great as it appears,
for tho rays of light which it reflects to
III. and which 1t receives from tho sun,
nro bcnt downward whom they pass into
our air. perhaps fifty miles from tho
capth's surface.
''.ts tho effect IA tho samo as that
which woull DO produced woro there no
atmosphere, by rays proceeding from
higher star. wo locate the body in
mo-" cl'v"'"d position than tho o,o
W.T. , il l: &--.. pcs. tut dino
on tho bottom III :. p:,!: ;illcd with water
and you lavo lil:o conditions with SINH
lar effect. II you place your hand
where you thiu!; yon 500 tho coin you
Will not touch 1t, but spot perhaps an
inch abov" iA2 true bottom. Arain, do
You NOTICE how htcaaily Vcnu3 shines?
II you arc here in al hour Liter. when
tho STARS 49, Ill oAt. you will observe
that oil taoso near tho horizon,
tho others to 2 GrIlllor cStcnt,
arc Elcr:ily t:i':,:'i.i.;. This ap-
pcarance. Ind" i.:..:!!iar % ell Of uo by
tho OLD nE:%"rJ .liy:lc; win! 10, twi.>.;lc.
little star l.; Hot nut:Icablo in tho
case or any pl":aG c""op5 u2rcury. and
has boc:l :. at,I j 6 oi !lu3h study on tho
part OF sci&.t:!!3 Lacn: it IL nov gcnor-
ally believed That ii cri3c:; from tho un-.
equal 62n4 %So!shnriyJ Of ]ighS ~ thcy
pass thro,l:;l t9s1.Ii Gur:1lSJ of different
tompcr3vG.93 a.Il dcn3ilics. The fact.
seem 70 sapporS CHS theory, for whcro
tho cir IS Tho drnGcGt AGAR tho horizon
tho effect Is most noticcaalo. where 1t
Is Tho r;!rcoG--iL our zon1th--it is less
marked.