THE PECULIAR SUNSETS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 6936, 9 February 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE PECULIAR SUNSETS.

M. Rbnou has reported to the Aoademy of Sciences some observations he has made at the observatory of the Pare de St. of the remarkable phenomena which have characterised recent sunsets. His attention was attracted to it on tho evening of November "6, and, notwithstanding the slight resemblance of the phenomenon to the Aurora Borealis, a close watch was kept on the magnetic instruments, but they showed no signs of disturbance. On the morning of the 28th, some hours prior to sunhee, the light was as brilliant as the twilight on the preceding evenings. Oα the 25th the barometer was rather low, but on the 27th and following days it rose rapidly. The mean tumperature on the 25th and 26th was about 50 degrees, at 9 p.m. on the 27th it had fallen to 39 degreee, and to 36 degrees at 8 p.m. on the 28th. M. Renou concludes :— " One ia not fully aware of the circumstances whioh favour the production of these brilliant twilights; they appear to agree with a clear space of great extent with light and very high cirrus and dry air in the high regions of the atmosphere. , Bnt the phenomena of these past days appears to be conneoted with an atmospheric state which recurs annually on almost tho same day ; for since the meteor shower of 1872, November 27, we notice very often stormy manifestations from the 26th to the 28th." Thunder was heard in the morning of one of these days in 1878, and lightning has been seen in the evenings in 1873, 1874, and. 1881. Last year thunder was heard near Blois on November 26. M. Chapel notes a coincidence between these phenomena and the meeting of the earth with the November meteor stream. The fact of these phenomena being noted by observers in different latitudes seems to indicate that their cause is high in the atmosphere. Few spectrosoopio observations appear to have been secured; but there appears evidence that absorption to some extent may be a cause. Of recent years it has been generally found that displays of Aurora Borealis are accompanied ljy solar aotivity, but these "brilliant twilights" have been unaccompanied by any abnormal activitjr. The interest excited by these appearances will doubtless induce spectroscopists to study them should there be a recurrence, for to that class of observers we muGit look for tho satisfactory solution of their cause.