SUN DISAPPEARS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 175, 20 April 1929, Page 9

SUN DISAPPEARS

LONG NIGHT STARTS AT BAY OF WHALES THE MYSTERIOUS AURORA PHENOMENA TO BE STUDIED The sun has disappeared from the Byrd party’s camp at Bay of Whales, and will not reappear there until August. The Aurora is blazing overhead, however, and efforts are being made to learn something new about it. (United Press Association.— By EleetrW Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Service.) (Rec. April 19, 8.20 p.m.) (By Russell Owen.—Special to “New York “Times.”) Bay of Whales, April 18. The sun disappeared from our camp yesterday. It crawled along the horizon formed by the Barrier to the north round a ball of dull fire, as if seen through a thin haze, and slid slowly out of sight. To-day the upper part of it might have appeared again, but there were clouds in the northern sky, and only a red spot crept westward. It grew fainter as it went away, leaving a chill sunset. It may be visible for a day or two more from the Barrier top of the bay ice, but it will be next August before it shines again on our little hollow. It has left a long twilight, an eerie grey light which almost imperceptibly fades into night, and this light will be with us in the middle of the day for some time. It is curious that our sunset is in the north now, and that in the south, where golden rays used to light the rolling Barrier surface, is a grim black line of approaching night. • With the going of the sun the cold has increased, and last night it was again 40 degrees below zero—a calm, clear night, with the Aurora blazing overhead. It was a magnificent and mysterious glow, palpitating as if * alive, sending its shivering curtains and streamers across the sky. This is the occurrence almost every night, and a nightwatchman has been appointed to watch its volume, direction, and character. The Aurora has probably been responsible for some radio vagaries which occurred recently. Larry Gould, for instance, wished to communicate with the University of Michigan, but found that it was easier to reach Michigan through the University’s short-wave station at Mount Evans, Greenland, than direct. It is hoped that it will be possible during the periods of darkness at Mount Evans and Little America to compare Auroral phenomena by radio and learn something new about it. For instance, it never yet has been possible to know whether it occurred simultaneously at both poles.

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