Evening journal., 1901-11-21
THE MOONS CHANG
THEY. HAVE NO INFLUENCE WI
EVER UPON THE WEATHER.

come SuDcrstitions That stu r
Upon the Subject-Moon Theo
Phnt Are Mere survivaIs Fro
Past CreduIIty.
A belief prevails that the m,
phases and changes have a contro
Influence over the weather. but so {
an authority as Professor c. A. Y,
Of Princeton has assured MS that
moon has absolutely nothing to do
the weather.
Such a belief is in the strict sens
the word superstition-"mere
vival from past credulity. 1t is {
certain that if there is any infu
at all Of the sort it is extremely 81
so slight that it cannot be demons
ed with certainty, although hume
investigations have been made exp
ly for the purpose Of detecting it.
have never been able to ascertain
instance, with certainty whether
warmer or not or less cloudy or n,
the time of the full moon. DiTeren
vestigations have led to contradid
results.
"As to the supposed connection
tween changes Of the moon
changes of the weather, it shoull
enough to note that even within
United States the weather changeI
rot simultaneous dn Kansas
Maine, for instance), as th9y shoul
if they were due to the chan
phases of the moon. Since. howl
change of the moon occurs d
week, every weather change
necessarily 6ccur within about
days and a half of lunar change,
half of them ought TO fall within 4
forty-five hours, even if perfectly
pendent.
"Now, 1t requires only n very 4
prepossession in favor of a bell
the effectiveness of the moons chd
to make one forget a few OF
weather changes that occur tod
from the proper time. COincidI
enough can easily be found to ju'
a pre-existing belief"
From n very remote antiquity.
twilight Of natural astrology, a
arose that changes in the weather.
Occasioned by the moon. That Il
lief still exists is clear to any one
is acquainted with current liter
and common folklore. In faf
must be admitted that even intel
and well informed people have X
known to accept the theory.
The idea that the weather Is anN
by the changes in the moon is still
with great vigor in England, and
our proverbs is, $50 many days o
moon is on Michaelmas day, so
floods after" If It rains ON st.
ms day, we are told to expect ra
forty days after An equally wis
dictlon is that If Christmas come
ing a waxing moon we shall h
very good year, and the nearer
moon the better, hut If during n W
moon a hard year, and the near
end Of the moon so much the woI
Another belief Is that the con
of the weather depends upon tn
of the week on which the new
chances to fall. New moon on Md
or moon day, is everywhere held
sign of good weather. Friday
moon is much disliked, while Sat
is unlucky for the new and Sund
the full moon.
In Scotland the farmers believ
a misty moon is n misfortune, a
agricultural maxim among them
es that
II the moon shows like a silver thiol
You need not be afraid 10 reap your
But 10 she rises haloed round
Soon we'll tread on deluged ground.
Another weather guide connecte
the moon is that TO see "the old
I'm the arms OF the new moon Is
Oned a sign of fair weather, and
the turning up of the horns of I'll
moon. In this position it is SUI
to retain the water which is i'm
to be in it and which would run
the horns were turned down.
The country people in Scotland
tell the changes of the weather
the changes in the appearance
new moon. If she lies sair
back" it is a sure sign Of bad wd
or when her horns are pointed
the zenith.
At Whitby when the moon
rounded by a halo with watery
the seamen say that there will
change in the weather, for the
dogs" are about There is also q
prevalent among sailors and sea
men that when a large star or pl
seen near the moon or, as they q
It, "a big star is dogging the
this is a certain sign Of stormy
er.-Exchange.
Darkness of Ocean Depth