Indian Summer

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Other interesting astronomical events in November include the striking gatherings of the planets, Moon, and stars (see the "Sky Calendar" on page 18 and the Almanac on BELOW). November's partial solar eclipse is only visible in the extremely southern part of the Earth. But on November 6, Hawaiian readers will get a chance to behold the rare sight of Mercury passing across the face of the Sun—as long as they're careful to observe the Sun safely. (Refer to a journal, such as November's Sky & Telescope, for viewing directions.)

Flame of Foliage Color

Returning our gaze back to Earth, we find October colors that even the most brilliantly hued lunar eclipse can't match (although I did see purple briefly in last December's eclipse). "October is the month for painted leaves," says Thoreau in his little-read essay "Autumnal Tints" (which I highly recommend). Of course, you'll find that even the great Thoreau cannot capture all of the complexity, majesty, and heart-piercing poignancy of fall foliage.

I'll be brief and only mention a few observations about autumn's leaf-color changes. One little-known fact is that all of the vivid hues of these leaves—the reds, oranges, yellows, and purples—are actually present in leaves year-round. But it is only in autumn that the leaves lose chloro phyll, the chemical that produces the dominant green color, permitting the hidden hues to be revealed. Also interesting is how factors such as tree age, location in direct sunlight, and anything else you can think of, decide which trees (or parts of a tree) start changing color first. I'd be glad to hear from any reader who has comments about this, lunar eclipses, or any other subject in this column. Write me at RD #2, Box 468, Millville, NJ 08332.

Indian Summer

When the term "Indian summer" resonates in our minds, most know only that it has something to do with warm spells in October. But, as weather-watcher and New England folklorist Eric Sloane once declared, "...no one is completely certain as to its exact date, its origin, or even what the term implies:'

Many authorities believe Indian summer is the first spell of decidedly warm, calm weather after the year's first frost. If we accept this definition, of course, Indian summer falls on different dates at different places and in different years, making it really hard to keep track of. But there have also been attempts to identify this "second summer" or "fifth season" with one of two periods that are reputed to have this kind of weather every year on the same dates.

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