Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-09-12

it.PSSlNDneSS ! lttc tiidliutIStDTfn. 1
The storm is a positive and emphatic !
oNhibition of Nature. But there are
her phenomena delusiVe and Elusive |
The mirage is an illusive atmospheric |
process An entire land |
seape may be lifted up and inverted |
and photographed on the lower side of |
:, vast upper stratum of quiet tempor- |
aIy immovable body Of atmosphere
The mira ee is seen on the ocean or on
tie plains. One sailor, the owner of a
aaip, saw and recognized his fathers
shin then below the horizon suspended
aud inverted as a picture in the sky
But the mirage is not at all times pho
t graphically faithful as many a thirs-
iy traveller can testify. y lake of cool.
IL freshing water is seen on the distant
horizon a delusion and a snare, Dis
te rtions of this kind are frequent.
sometimes a city with tall buildings.
sI1iles and castles will be painted for
hours in mldheaven only to be dis
solved when the. several atmospheric
strata interminele.
The most astonishing scenes are oft
on observed in the region of the moon
ar sun Many of these are almost of
ly observab bic here in Kansas City. The
frequent halos around the moon and
he eln-glow at rising or setting ara
teo common to attract much attention
Yet men travel the world over to see
beauty less engaging and less satisfy
ling The ''sun dogs" or mock suns
seen only in cold weather, are often
lot dazzling beauty and brillianey
These are seen usually to the right or
left of the sun but also at the same
time above it and below it like four
sentinels or guards attending the Lord
of Day These attendant suns are ere
ated by the focusing powers of atmos-
pherc moisture of varying densities of
layers of air Perhaps floating ice
lorystals may have much to do with
| it The wide circle around the moon
arises from similar condition.
The atmospheric condition which
praduces the rather common pheno-
jmenon of the circle around the moon
| often has great permaneney the circles
abiding for many hours without the
slightest altera ton or change, accom-
lpanying the moon on her journey
across the sky This demonstrates that
form In the smoky days of Indian
summer a brilliant circle appears
laround the sun. The haze is often 50
rense that the sun may be seen easily
without the use of smoked glass; at
such times if there are spots on the
sun these may be seen with the naked
Ieye. At such times a brilliant band
surrounds the sun and is conspicuous
lali day. If there happens to he full
moon at such a time the Queen of
Night may outdo the Lord of Day in
the adornment of the circle. These
Icircles may persist for many days and
nights together.
| The man in the moon may be seen as
a most diNerting figure when the sky
| is clear except for fleeey clouds drift
ling across the sky. Then the Madon-
ma may be seen in all her beauty. But
lonIy for an instant, The thin moving
cloud changes the outline of the face
in the moon The figure of the Ma
donna may be succeeded by the face
of leering devil. A lively imagina-
ton is necessary to a full enjoyment
of this phenomenon. Sometimes tht
face of George Washington is plainly
cature of King George III with a nose
d foot long. You may see the moons
face passing from one historic figure to
another until your whole range of bi-
osraphy has become exhausted. But
the exhibition of historic faces may be
lintcrspersed with the faces of your
friends most ludicrously and laughab bly,
rrescnted But your laughter and
4
face of Your tiercest enemy whose
cratcsque. scrawlng, sinister aspect
Will make you shudder.
enc of the most beautiful, perhaps
the most beautiful atmospheric phen-
omenon is the rainbow. caused, as ev
erybody knows, by the light of the sun
passing through falling water. The
lunar rainbow is Il rare phenomenon,
ut may be seen occasionally. The lu-
mr. rainbow is modest reproduction
at night of the rainbow of the day
time.
The rainbow is seen ordinarily a lef-
lty arch or half circle spanning Il black
Iwall of cloud. AS a matter of fact
the rainboW. is Natures most perfect
circIe,G ashef3 are few straight lines in
Nature ana fewer circles. curves ana
Iangles are Well nigh universal. The
lone perfect circle in the world is the
rainbow including the kindred circles
tabove described SO often surrounding
| the sun or moon The rainbow presents
more than half a circle when seen
| from an elevated position, a steeple, a
tower, or, better yet, from a noun
tain peak or from balloon. Were
the elevation great enough the observ-
er would see perfect circle. The end
of the rainbow therefore. is as delusiVe
as the bag of gold waiting for the first
ladventurer who may arrive there.
TIL rainbow varies in size. If the
| sun is low the rainbow will be of great
diameter and its highest part will be
| far up in the heavens. Conversely, if
| the sun Is very high. say about noon
time, the rainbow resulting will be
leorrespondingly small in diameter and
Its highest point may scarcely 60
above the treetops. The two ends of
such a midday rainbow will appear to
be only two or three hundred yards
|apar rt and very near the observer.
Many a small boy has gone forth full
|ly confident that the Onpprfuuity has