The Indianapolis journal., 1896-06-26
A RARE LUNAR RAINBOW
ONE APPEARED IN THE NORTH
wEsTERN Sky LAST NIGHT.
None ON Record Before I'm Local
weather Bureau-Taken for an
Omen by the silverites.

In lieu of good argument and sound sense
the long bearded silverite may convince his
neighbor this morning Of the certainty OF
free siIver's triumph by virtue of an omen
which appeared I'm the heavens last night.
This omen was a silver rainnow-the scien-
tifc men call 1t lunar rainbow-and, COM
pared to the covenant of old, its occur
renee II at the ratio of about to loo. 1t
was about 9o'clock when people sitting out
on their front porches. watching the storm
gathering in the west, saw a ray OF white
like that from a powerful. yet far-away.
search light loom up on the western hor-
ixon and grow gradually stronger. finally
arching itself across the sky 10 the north
The light was white most of the time. but
occasionally the colors of the sun rain
bow appeared The younger generation and
not few OK the older were mystified at
this strange sight for lunar rainbow is
q rare phenomenon. 1t was OF about the
same size and extent as the ordinary bow
The sight was a bit uncanny, as there was
not glimmer of the moon to be seen,
Miss Luna, which was rising at that time.
being shut~out by huge banks of clouds
IA the east. while the-b black clouds in the
west made this bow OF light stand out In
excellent relief.
Large numbers OF people going out to
wildwood Park stopped 20 gaze on this
prenomeaon- The shape of tile light con-
Vinced them that IL must be made some
what after the manner OF the sun bow. A
few Of the superstitious thought Melpo-
meme had been propitiated and that the
silver bow meant there was 20 be no more
rain these summer evenings to keep peo-
pIe away from the summer opera But
the frec-silver people knew different. This
was no theatrical bow OF promise. "Jedge''
Buskirk. Romus Stuart. c. w. Bridges and
Myron ID. King could not be seen last
night 70 obtain their views in connection
with the remarkable coincidence of this
rare silver bow and the free-siiver move
ment- II Is confidently expected. however,
to have its effect on the Democratic coun-
~ convention, which will be held soon.
Dozens of people called up the Journal
editorial rooms by telephone last night 10
make inquiries about this lunar rainbow.
A frce-silyer man said he had chased this
lunar bow cn his bicycle as Ear out as
Crows Nest and was completely disguised
when he found the tabled pot OF gold at the
end OF II.
Weather Observer Wappenhans saws
these lunar rainbows are exceedingly rare.
The only other he had ever seen was
about tblrty-f1ve years ago. when he was
On the Mediterranean sea- An employe OF
the Weather Office had seen one some years
ago on the Pacific ocean. Last month one
ported the appearance OF one Until last
night. however, there was no official record
OF a lunar rainbow In the local Office The
rarity OF the phenomenon causes the ap-
Ecarance OF one OF the bows TO attract at
tention among scientific men all over the
country. The encyclopedias give but little
data concerning them. stating that they
are formed BY the light OF the moon and
are generally white, sometimes showing the
Drismatsc colors-