Astronomical Notes.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4622, 27 October 1883, Page 2

Astronomical Notes.

The red sunsets observed during the past few weeks have been the subject of much speculation, and the following remarks by Mr Ellery, the Victorian Government astronomer, will be interesting to our rerders :—" The beautiful sunsets, accomp.nied by a strong red glow in the western sky, which have lat3ly prevailed, seem to have been universal throughout Australia. The sunrise, also, whenever it has been clear, especially inland, have been of the same character, and correspbn* dence has been received at the observatory from nearly all quarters upon this subject. Several reports of the appearance of auroras in the western sky have been received at the observatory, but in fact there have been no si*ns of auroras, and terrestial magnetism has been moderately quiescent. A somewhat favorite speculation is that it is in some way connected with the late volcanic eruptions in the Strait of Sunda.gand the red glare is pro* duced by the illuminations of volcanic dust, or something of the kfnd, in the upper regions of the atmosphere. It is well known that dust is frequently raised to great altitudes by atmosphere and terrestrial disturbances, and it hasi been seen covering large areas from 15,000 ft to 20,000 ft high and has sometimes been carried immense distances by aerial currents. It is, however, difficult to imagine that a purely local volcanic outburst, like that near Java, should project enough dust or oilier matter . to prevpde the atmosphere covering an area over which the peculiar red sunsets have been seen of late—over nearly all Australia in fact. On the third evening of its occurrence, I examined the light carefully with a spectroscope. As I expected, the spectrum was remarkable for the great breadth of what are known as telluric or atmosphericlines.especiallyofthoseshown by M. Jannsen to be due to aqueous vapor in certain conditions in the higher strata of our atmosphere, and I was satisfied at the time that the cause of the gorgeous sunset was simply a peculiar hygrometie candition of those regions, and I sail believe this to be the explanation. Such sunsets in the Northern Hemisphere are often regarded ,™ by old sailors as portending a period of broken and stormy weather, aad indicate anywhere the existence of a large amount of aqueous vapor in the higher regions. of -the atmosphere. Whether, as I am inclined to think, they will be found on this occasion to point to a period of stormy and wet weather, which we naturally look for about this season, especially in the southern parts of Australia, will soon be determined. I may also point out that this is the season when the zodiacal light is often at its ;. brightest and has, in fact been very bright nearly every night since the red sunsets have been noted ; this, while adding nothing t, the colour, has certainly added to the v light of the evening sky, and intensified the ' red glow."