A Mysterious Darkness: The Day the Sun Went Out in New England

The Colonial Williamsburg Journal ^ | Summer 2005 | Andrew G. Gardner

[FormerACLUmember]

Typical volcanic plume effects on the atmosphere. The copper colored sky in a dead givaway.

[farmfriend]

ping

[Mr. K]

How about a huge asteroid very close to the earth?

[The Great RJ]

It was Bush's fault, women and minorities were affected most etc.

[BenLurkin]

Hard to see the dark side is . . .

[Eska]

Last summer, we were surrounded by several burns each 30x40 miles across. When you first see that low coal black cloud approaching, blocking out all the sunlight; it does look like the devil himself. Couldn't see 10 feet and was like dusk at mid-day; also could not breath outside.

I can just imagine what went through their heads 200 years back.

[RegulatorCountry]

"How about a huge asteroid very close to the earth?"

I've read an account from the middle ages, during the period of the Black Death, that have been interpreted as just that, a close pass by a large asteroid. "Awesome in its blackness," with wild tidal disruptions, and it reportedly made a horrible sound. I wish I could recall where I read this, but it was originally written in English, so that pins it down somewhat. This New England report does not match up with that; volcanic ash seems more plausible.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Farmfriend.

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[auggy]

Interesting!

[righttackle44]

"Typical volcanic plume effects on the atmosphere. The copper colored sky in a dead givaway."

Honest query: Would the effects of a volcanic plume that could cause such a blackout in a fairly large area only last for several hours, then apparently be completely gone the next day?

This fascinates me. I am saving the article and responses on a word document for further study.

Thanks for your comment.

[Larry Lucido]

"Either the Day of Judgment is at hand or it is not," he said. "If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I wish to be found in the line of my duty. Bring me candles."

Gotta love that Calvinist work ethic. :-)

[WestVirginiaRebel]

A volcano is also believed to have caused a nuclear winter effect which resulted in the infamous "Year Without A Summer" in 1816, aka "Eighteen hundred and froze to death."

[randog]

That was my first thought--forest fire.

[NonValueAdded]

History ping. Note to self: cross reference to gen. database

[JennysCool]

Thanks! I was talking about this with my Dad the other day and he wanted to read more about it!

[blam]

"A volcano is also believed to have caused a nuclear winter effect which resulted in the infamous "Year Without A Summer" in 1816, aka "Eighteen hundred and froze to death."

You Rang. Covered here:

Eighteen Hundred And Froze To Death (The Infamous Year Without Summer)

[Trimegistus]

Halliburton did it! If the Republicans stay in power the country will be enveloped in darkness!

[stevio]

And an enterprising young Harvard student, Nathan Reid, recorded that by 11:00 A.M. a Mr. Wigglesworth couldn't read a Bible when standing by the window.

Mr. Wigglesworth couldn't then, but wouldn't be allowed to now.

[FormerACLUmember]

Would the effects of a volcanic plume that could cause such a blackout in a fairly large area only last for several hours, then apparently be completely gone the next day?

Vast oval cloud of dense volcanic ash 300 miles wide, 500 miles long, travelling 10 miles up, pushed along by the jet stream.