SHADOWS IN THE MIST

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21807, 12 June 1936, Page 17

SHADOWS IN THE MIST

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —The letter under the heading "Shadows in the Mist.” signed “Trampers,” which you publish to-day (Wednesday), reminds one of two letters, one some years back and the other quite recently, by Mr S. Ayers, of Kangiora, which you also published, Mr Ayers and party, if I remember rightly, had an experience similar to that of “Trampers” on Mount Torlesse many years ago. Probably high country sheep men could tell us of experiences of this kind, but there was a disappointing absence of comment on both letters by Mr Ayers. I personally have frequently seen a light halo about my shadow on an ordinary flat Canterbury paddock in winter, and when the sun had just risen or was about to set In these cases a low sun and moisture-laden grass were apparently the requisite conditions. The rainbow and the magnified shadows seen by “Trampers” are new to me and one would like to see some comment by others. As to each member of the party seeing only his own shadow; well, everyone see his own rainbow, and if one travels laterally to the direction of his rainbow he will find his bow travelling likewise. As a rainbow is the smaller, the nearer its background, I take it that the actual form is conical, the point of the cone being at the observer’s eye. I take it also that our rainbow would be a rain circle if viewed from a sufficient height above ground. One would like to have the benefit of some authoritative comments on the questions raised by “Trampers” and, incidentally on my own observations. —Yours, etc., J. E. HOLLAND. Avoca Valley, June 10. 1936.