November 24

November 24, 1883: Rochesterians, including reporter and amateur astronomer Henry C. Maine, observe the "Red Light" or "Red Sunsets" that have been filling the skies all Autumn.  There is much speculation about the meteorological or astronomical cause of the strange red and oranges glows in the sky that persist after sunset.  The red skies continued for more than two years through 1884 and into the fall of 1885.  Theories about the cause included sunspots and solar disturbances, comets, hurricanes and cyclones, and great lake storms.  The true cause was the August 1883 eruption of  Krakatoa in the Indian Ocean which spewed ash and sulfur dioxide into atmosphere causing global climate changes through 1888.

Sources:

1.  History and work of the Warner observatory, Rochester, N.Y. 1883-1886, Volume 1, pp 53-70 (1887)  (source of images)
2. Wikipedia: 1883 eruption of Krakatoa
3. Rochester History,v9, issue 1 (1947) 

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