Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-07-13

Sometimes she is glrdled round by
halos,
Now three, now two, and now by only
one.
A single halo portends wind or calm
Wind, rudely broken; slowly fading,
calm.
Two whorls Of halo prophesy storm;
Three whorls a greater; the most furi-
Gus blasts
A shattered halo of three duslSy whorls.
Such every month the warnings OF the
moon.
WEATHER Forecasts Aratus.
A belief prevails that the moons
phases and changes have controlling
influence over the weather, and the re-
markable change that actually took
place on April 25 when the moon en-
tered first quarter seemed conhrma-
ton Of this theory. The rain had
poured necessarily day after day, and
now the clouds vanish. the blue sky
becomes visible, and the light Of the
sun once more brightens this region
OF our planet Surely the moon had
something to do with the transforma-
ton that has taken place, but so great
an authority as Professor c. A. Young,
Of Princeton, assures us that the moon
has absolutely nothing to do with the
weather
Such belief is in the strict sense Of
the word a superstition--"m suryiv-
al from a past creduity. 1t is quite
certain that II there Is any influence at
all OF the sort it is extremely slight-so
slight that II cannot be demonstrated
with certainty, although numerous in
yestigations have been made expressly
for the purpose Of detecting II. We
have never been able to ascertain, for
instance, with certainty whether II Is
warmer or not or less cloudy or not
at the time OF the full moon. Different
Investigations have led to contradictory
results.
"As to the supposed connection be-
tween change OF the moon and changes
Of the weather, II should be enough 10
note that even within the United States
the weather changes are not slmultane-
Gus Qn Kansas and Maine for in
stance), as they should be IL they were
due to the changing phases ofthemoon.
Since, however, "a change OF the moon
occurs every week, every weather
change must necessarily occur within
about three days and a half Of lunar
change and half OF them ought to fall
within about forty-fiye hours, even II
perfectly Independent,
Now il requires only a very slight
prepossession In favor OF belief In the
effectiveness OF the moons changes TO
make one forget few Of the weather
changes that occur too far from the
proper time. Condolences enough can
easily be found to Justify pre-existing
belief"
From a very remote antiquity, in
the twilight Of natural astrology, a
belief arose that changes in the wealth
or were occasioned by the moon. That
the belief exists II clear 10 anyone who
is acquainted with current literature
and common folk lore. In fact, II must
be admitted that even intelligent and
well-informed people have been known
10 accept the theory.
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. $50 many days old
the moon is on Michaelmas day, so
many floods after" II IL rains on 81.
Swithins day We are told TO expect
rain for forty DAYS after. An equally
wise prediction Is that II Christmas
comes during a waxing moon we shall
have a very good year. and the nearer
TO the new moon the better. but II dur
ing waning moon a hard year. and
the nearer the end OF the moon 80 much
the worse
Another belief Is that the condition Of
the weather depends upon the day %
the week on which the new moon
chances to fall New moon on Monday,
or moon day. Is everywhere held as a
sign Of GOOD weathpt Fridays new
moon Is much disllked while Saturday
IS unmcky Tor the new and Sunday for
the full moon. According 20 the old
English weather saw
Saturdays new and Sundays full
Never was good and never wull
In Scotland the farmers believe that
misty moon Is q misfortune. and an
agricultural maxim among them
teaches that
II the moon shows IKE q silver shield