Evening star., 1901-09-14
THE MOON AND WEATHER
LUNAR INFLUENCE ON TEMPERA.
TURE AND PRECIPITATION.
Relief. of People of Many Lands and
Many Ages Disbelief of
Scientific Men.

From the Chicago Record. Herald.
A belief prevails that the moons phases
and changes have controlling influence
over the weather, but so great an authority
as Prof. c. A. Young of Princeton assures
US that the moon has absolutely nothing to
do with the weather.
Such a belief Isl in the strict sense of the
word n superstition-"mere survival from a
past credulity. 1t Is quite certain that IL
there Is any influence at all OF the sort ie
is extremely slight-so slight that 1t cannot
be demonstrated with certainty. although
numerous investigations have been made
expressly for the purpose OF detecting It.
We have never been able TO ascertain. for
instance, with certainty whether It is
warmer or not or less cloudy or not at the
time Of the full moon. Different investiga-
tfons have led to contradictory results.
"As to the supposed connection between
change OF the moon and changes of the
weather. ii should be enough to note that
even within the United States the weather
changes are not simultaneous Tin Kansas
and Maine. for instance), as they should be
IL they were due to the changing phases OF
the moon. Since, however, a change of the
change must necessarily occur within about
three days and half OF lunar change. and
half of them ought to fall within about
forty-fve hours, even IL perfectly indie
pendent
Now It requires only a very slight pre-
possession In favor of a belief In the effec-
tiveness of the moons changes to make one
forget a few Of the weather changes that
occur too far from the proper time. Coin
cidences enough can easily be found to
justify pre-exist!ng belief
From very remote antiquity. In the rwf-
light of natural astrology, a belief arose
that changes In the weather were occasion
ed by the moon. That the belief still exists
is clear to any one who Is acquainted with
current literature and common folk lore.
In fact, it must be admitted that even in
telligent and well-informed people have
been known to accept the theory.
Belief In England.
The idea that the weather Is affected
by the changes in the moon is still held
with great vigor in England. and one OF
our proverbs is 80 many days old the
moon is on Michaelmas day. many floods
AFTER If it rains on st. Swithin's day we
are told to expect rain for forty days after.
An equally wise prediction is that IL Christ
mas comes during a waxing moon we shall
have a very good year, and the nearer
to the new moon the better, but If during
a waning moon a hard year. and the near
er the end OF the moon so much the worse.
Another belief is that the condition Of
the weather depends upon the day of the
week on which the new moon chances to
fall. New moon on Monday, or moon day,
Is everywhere held as sign of good wealth
er. Fridays new moon Is much disliked
while Saturday Is unlucky for the new and
Sunday for the full moon. According to
the old English weather saw
Saturdays and Sundays full
Never was good and never wull.
In Scotland the farmers believe that
misty moon is misfortune and an agri-
cultural maxim among them teaches that
IL the moon sh,w like silver shield
You need not be afraid To reap your field;
But IL she rises haloed round
Soon well tread on deluged ground.
Two rules of the shepherd Of Banbury
are:
II mist's in the moon. rain in the old;
II nist's in the DID, rain in the new moon.
Another weather guide connected with
the moon Is that to see the old moon in
the arms Of the new moon" Is reckoned
a sign of fair weather, and so Is the turn
ing up of the horns of the new moon. In
this position it is supposed to retain the
water which Is imagined to be in it, and
which would run out Ii the horns We're
turned down.
On this novel idea of lunar basin or
saucer Southey writes from 'Keswick.
December %, 1928 as follows: Poor Lit
tledale has this day explained the cause
of our late rains. which have prevailed tor
the last six months, by theory which will
probably be new to you as 1t is to me-
Il have Observed he says, that when the
moon is turned upward we have fine wealth
er after it. but if il is turned downward
then we have wet season. The reason
Is that when it is turned down it holds
no water, like an inverted basin, and then
down the rain comes.
Raparding which observation Southey re-
marks: 1T will be a long time before the
march of intellect shall produce a theory as
original as this, which 1 lind upon inquiry
to be the popular opinion here. George
Eliot refers to the same fancy in her ac--
count of the burial of poor old Thas
Bede."
Scotch Weather Prophets.
They'll ha' putten Thias Bede i the
ground afore We get to the churchyard."
said old Martin. as his son came up. 1T
'ud ha' been better luck If they'd ha' bur-
led him l. the forenoon when the rain was
falIin' there's no likelihood of drop now,
an the moon lies like boat down there,
dost see? That's sure sign o fair wealth
er; there's a many as is false. but that's
sure" Old Martins remark also probably
referred to the well-known maxim:
Happy Is the corpse that the rain rains
on" The country people in Scotland fore
tell the changes in the weather from the
changes in the appearance of the new
moon. If she Lies sair on her back" 1t Is
a sure sign Of bad weather. or when her
horns are pointed toward the zenith. 1t
is the same sign when the new moon ap-
pears wi the auld moon In her arm,'
superstition referred to in the famous bal
Lad of Sir Patrick Spens
o ever alack! my master DEAR
fear deadly storm;
saw the new moon late yestreen.
WI the aud moon In her arm:
And IL ye gang to sea. maister,
fear we'll suffer harm.
At Whitby, when the moon Is surrounded
by a halo with watery clouds the seamen
say that there will be a change in the
weather. for the moon dogs are about.
There is also a belief prevalent among sail
ors and seafaring men that when a large
star or planet is seen near the moon or,
as they express it. "a big star Is dogging
the moon,'' this Is certain sign of stormy
weather.
On one occasion after a violent storm Off
the coast of Deyonshfre. fisherman re-
marked that he knew the storm was COM
ing as he had observed a star ahead OF
the moon, towing her, and another astern
chasing her. II know'd twas coming, safe
enough" 1t happened on this occasion that
the moon was apparently near two stars.
but the old Devonian saw trouble ahead,
and his prediction chanced to be verified.
It was merely a coincidence, yet from such
frail evidence has been evolved the weather
folklore Of the moon.
Smith (bent on q little hirtation)-"Ah,
excuse me, but Is this seat engaged?'
Female Occupant (coldly)-"No, sir, but
amp'-Tit Bits.