Elements of Astronomy by Simon Newcomb - Copyright 1900
That's the book I picked up at the local flea market a few Sundays ago. It's a very old text book, I've always been facinated by star gazing, and I'm looking forward to getting a chance to read the book. Anyway when I opened the book I discovered that the previous (and maybe the orginal) owner of the book had written short essays inside the front and back covers. It was written in a tidy, yet fine script in faded pencil. I'm not sure how old the writing is but it's not new. So I have managed to transcribe the shorter essay from the front of the book. I thought I would share it with you. I also have a name for the author of the essays. Her work follows.
Mary J. O'Reily
Academy Mt. St. Vincent
Halifax N. S.
The Rainbow
In the rainbow, we have a solar spectrun on a grand scale. It is produced through the refraction and dispension of sunlight by rain drops. But if you can throw water and stand with your back to light, you can see rainbow. In order to see it, the observer must look towards falling rain, with the sun behind him and not more than 42 degrees above the horizon. Frequently two bows one visible, the primary and the secondary, the format is violet on the inside and red on the outside while in the secondary bow, which is longer and fainter, the order of the colours is reversed.
Mary J. O'Reily
Academy Mt. St. Vincent
Halifax N. S.
The Rainbow
In the rainbow, we have a solar spectrun on a grand scale. It is produced through the refraction and dispension of sunlight by rain drops. But if you can throw water and stand with your back to light, you can see rainbow. In order to see it, the observer must look towards falling rain, with the sun behind him and not more than 42 degrees above the horizon. Frequently two bows one visible, the primary and the secondary, the format is violet on the inside and red on the outside while in the secondary bow, which is longer and fainter, the order of the colours is reversed.