The Quiet Hour

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 122, 25 May 1935, Page 3 (Supplement)

The Quiet Hour

Judy Ann and Timothy, the little girl and boy yon can see in the picture were very puzzled. "A blue moon," said Judy Ann. "Only once in a blue moon do miracles happen, the book says. When are there blue moons, Tinkerbcll?" "Ho!" replied Timothy. "It's only one of those silly phrases like. 'When pigs fly,' or 'When the moon is made of green cheese.'" Cut Tinkerbell knew better. "Why," she smiled, "miracles often happen, and so the moon must quite often be blue." And if yon look at it very often, boys and girls, you may one day see it a very palo and lovely shade of blue, for, although very rare indeed, scientists say it ia quite possible. A quarter moon, in exactly the right position in the western sky, just after sunset would appear blue, as the sran below the horizon would be still lighting the earth, with its rays coming through the clouds piled up on the horizon. These rays would pass through the densest part of the atmosphere close to the surface of the earth and the blue light would be filtered out leaving only red, orange, or yellow streaks.

Then some of the light of the sun would be thrown over the tops of the cloud peaks or mountains, and this would be mainly blue. Hence if the sky were very clear it would be entirely possible for an observer to see a belt of intense blue light. And if a very pale quarter moon happened to be in that belt of light it would appear blue. Probably, say the scientists, there are many more blue moons than have ever been noticed, as no one has looked specially for them. And not only have there been blue moons, but, stranger still green suns. These have beon observed several times, but only after euch disturbances as volcanic eruptions, when the upper atmosphere is full of a fine dust, that filters all the colour out of the rays of the sun except a shade of green. A time ot green- suns would be also a time of either blue or green moons, since moonlight is reflected sunlight, and that same reflected light must pass through the same belts of atmosphere before reaching the earth. And so, boys and girls, if you are ever told that your dreams and hopes will come true only if there ie a "blue moon," do not despair, for there really are such things as blue moons.