A Light Fog

Abstract

AT Blowing Rock, Watauga Co., N.C., a part of the main chain of the Blue Ridge Mountains, at this point possessing an elevation of about 4000 feet above the sea, on the night of the 6th inst., while the writer was crossing a causeway through a mill-pond a light fog, obscuring objects at a hundred yards, covered the water. The moon, a little past the full, produced upon the bank of fog a very distinct bow. The bow was luminous white, without any trace of colour, about 2° in breadth. The ends apparently rested on the water, the entire arc being reflected in the water. The segment of fog within the bow was faintly lit up, the lighting up being distinctly seen by contrast with the fog outside the bow. At the same time on turning and looking at the moon it was seen surrounded by a corona about 2° in diameter (four times the moon's diameter), the colours—fairly bright—being in order, going from the moon's limb, yellow, orange, red. A little later, the same night, on the brow of the ridge, in the faint mist which rose in masses, the bow was again seen vividly, against a background of trees; the bow being within 40 paces of the observer.