Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-05
WHY THE SKY is BLUE.
Investigation of Professor T. J. J. See
of the U. S. Navy.

the sky. 1t has grown familiar to all
by daily observations from childhood,
yet few persons realize the great
scientific and artistic interest attach
ing to this beautiful color.
Sir Isaac Newton tried to explain the
color in the year 1875 by referring to
the blue colors seen in the soap bub-
bles 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 produce the
blue tints of the armament.
Sir John Herschel explained the color
of the sky by Newton's theory, but
later writer's have proved that in somes
important respects his theory4s was
wrong.
In 1869 Professor John Tyndafl the
famous British physicist, found that he
could produce "sky blue" by expert
ments in the laboratory. Fore this pur-
pose he filled a glass tube about a yard
long and three inches in diameter, with
air of one-tenth the ordinary density
mixed with nitrite of butyl vapor, which
is extremely volatile. Then. on passing
of electric light in room otherwise
dark, the mixture precipitated beau
tiful blue cloud, which in color rivaleu
the finest Italian sky. Further exper-
iments proved to Tyndail that he had
at last discovered the secret of the blue
color of the sky which had puzzled the
greatest philosophers of all ages.
Lord Rayleigh, the famous professor
of experimental physics at Camb, idge.
England, and one of King Edwards
original twelve members of the new Or
der of Merit has investigated TyndaIl's
theory of the color of the sky by pro-
found mathematical researches ex-
tending over many years. He confirms
Tyndalrs 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 atmos-
phere, 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.
Professor T. J. 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 attitudes.
in high mountains. and in dry and
moist countries, such as Egypt and
Greece, and Arizona and the Mississ-
ippi valley. His conclusion is that the
beautiful red colors of sunsets and sun
rises so much spoken of by Greek and
Roman writer and so often illustrated
in landscape painting arise from water
vapor in the lower regions of the at
mosphere. absorbing the blue of the
earth's surface, while the deep blue of
the sky arises from reflections of mi
mute particles in the higher parts of our
atmosphere.
The water vapor does-not extend
very high, clouds never rising higher
than ten miles above the earth. TIE
blue streaks cast by clouds at sunset
show that the red arises near the earth.
while the blue has it's seat very high up.
Above the atmosphere the sky has all
the blackness of the darkest night.
Professor See has watched the dura-
ton of the blue sky after dark. and
louIlu IL " continue 1Or about an hOur
and fifteen minutes and from this he
shows that the atmosphere extends to
a height of fully 1870 miles. Astrono-
mers have usually found the height of
meteors but none ever made the height
Of the atmosphere over 100 miles.
The study Of the blue color of the
sky thus proves also that our atmos-
phere extends considerably higher than
scientists have heretofore supposed.
On dark days the blue color of tho
sky is shut out by clouds and combina-
lions of colors due to rejecting clouds |
and countless myriads of particles in /
the ethereal regions high above the
earth give the bright light which is so /;
much relished in daily life. The nature
of the blue sky so much admired by an
mankind since the days of Homer ana
Job, now fully explained by modern
science, still preserves it's ancient bean /
ty, and will inspire mans mind throupb |
coming ages.
Taking II Home in DISGUISE.