Most children can remember learning the little phrase:
"Red sky at night sailor's delight! (or substitute shepherd for sailor)
Red sky in the morning sailor's warning!" (or substitute shepherd for sailor)
I've been saying this in my head for decades but is it true and where did the saying start?
This is another shot taken from my balcony. It was a sunset, does that mean that the next day was beautiful?
What Are The Origins of The Saying!
- For thousands of years man had to rely on personal experience and observations and not on forecasts!
- These sayings were especially important in sailing and agriculture.
- The saying has likely been passed on by word of mouth
- A variation of it appears in the Bible in Matthew 16:2-3 showing that it was common over 2,000 years ago!
Is The Saying Backed Up By Science?
To a great degree these sayings are backed up by science and can be relied on as indicators of weather patterns.
- When the sky is red at night it means that the sun's light is reaching us through a high concentration of dust particles. This scatters the blue light and leaves just the red light in the sky. This indicates that high pressure and stable air is coming from the west and good weather will follow.
- A red sky at sunrise could mean that a high pressure system has already passed and that a storm from low pressure may be heading to the east! If the morning sky is fire red it could indicate that there is a high water content in the atmosphere so rain is on the way!
I hope that you enjoyed this article for Sun Thursday which explores an ancient saying.
Until next time,
