The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-11-06
SOLVE THE SKY MYSTERY.
Scientists Learn Why 1t Is Blue and
a New Fact Concerning the
Atmosphere.

Everyone notices the blue color CT
the sky. 1t has grown familiar to all
by daily observation from childhood.
yet few persons realize the great
scientific and artistic interest attach
ing to this beautiful color, says the
Brooklyn Eagle.
Sir Isaac Newton tried to explain the
color in the year 1875 by referring it
to the blue colors seer in the soap
bubbles used in his experiments. He
thought the air was filled with small
particles of water which reflect the
blue portions of the suns light
falling upon our earth and thus pro-
duce the blue tints of the armament.
Sir John Herschel explained the
color of the sky by Newton's theory,
but later writer's nave proved that in
some important respects his theory
was wrong.
In 1869 Prof. John Tyndall, the ia
nous British physicist, found that he
could produce "sky blue" by expert
ments in the laboratory. For this pur-
pose he filled a glass tube about a
yard long and three inches in diam"
eter, with air of one-tenth the ordinary
density mixed with nitrite of butyl
vapor, which is extremely volatile
Then, on passing through the mixture
a powerful beam of electric light in a
room otherwise dark, the mixture pre-
cipitated a beautiful blue cloud which
in color rivaled the finest Italian sky.
Further experiments proved to Tyndall
that he had at last discovered the Sc
cret of the blue color Of the sky which
had puzzled the greatest philosophers
of all ages.
Lord Rayleigh, the famous professor
OF experimental physics ct Cambridge.
England, and one of King Edwards
original II members of the new Order
of Merit, has investigated Tyndall's
theory of the color Of the sky by pro-
found mathematical researches ex-
tending over many years. He confirms
Tyndall's theory that the blue arises
from the reflection OF sunlight from
small particles in the air less than
one one-hundred thousandth of an
inch in diameter.
These atomic particles fill the at
mosphere, and by rejecting the blue
part of the suns light, give the dome
of the heavens a blush tint.
Some of these particles. are water
but most Of them are composed Of the
oxygen and nitrogen of the air.
Prof. T. ]. J. See, of the United
States navy, is one Of the American
scientists who has studied the subject
in another aspect. He has observed
the color of the sky in various alti-
; tudes, in high mountains and in dry
J and moist countries such as Egypt anG
sippi valley. His conclusion is tina
the beautiful red cclors of sunsets ant
! sunrises so much spoken of by Greel
? and Roman writer's and so often Illus
! trated in landscape painting, arises
from water vapor in the lower regions
= Of the atmosphere, absorbing the blue
and transmitting the red light. Ac
cording to DR.. See the reddish color!
\ come from that part of our air within
. five miles of the eerth's surface, whil'
the deep blue of the sky arises from re
: fections OF minute particles in tn,
higher parts of our atmosphere.
: The water vapor does not exten,
: very high, clouds never rising highe
than ten miles above the earth. TIL
: blue streaks cast by clouds at sunse
= show that the red arises near tn
earth, while the blue has it's seat yer,
high up. Above the atmosphere til
sky a all the blackness of the dark
est night.
"a ~ e&s
Prof. See has watched the duratio,
of the blue sky after dark, and foun,
= it to continue for about an hour an
i Is minutes and from this he show
4 that the atmosphere extends to
) height of fully 1870 miles. Astronomer
have usually found the height of tn
:, of meteors, but none ever made tn
! height of the atmosphere over 10
a miles.
The study of the blue color of tn
sky thus proves also that our atmos
: phere extends considerably higher tina
"a scientists have heretofore supposed.
On dark days the blue color of tn
lie sky is shut out by clouds and CON
la binations Of colors due to re1ectin
clouds and countless myriads of pal
ticles in the ethereal regions hig
= above the earth give the bright ligl
s. which is SO much relished in daily ltl
The nature of the blue sky SO muc
r admired b all mankind since tt
er days of Homer and Job, now fully e.
r planned by modern science, still pr
serves its ancient beauty, and will ii
b. spire mans mind through comm
g ages.
A Therapeutic Revolution.
& According to a dispatch from Paris 4
Il d'Arsonvai made an exhaustive addrel
: Mt a recent meeting of the Psychologist
D institute on 1.-THE Action of Electricii
/. on Human Beings" He spoke of Il
sudden shock of electricity, as well
the slow method by which 1t pervad'
the human system without the patiel
{, being gsnsible of it. He showed that ele
I, trio treatment is excellent for certa.
mafadieS of the skin. and that ele