Ticker for May 24, 2005

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
May 24, 2005       May 24, 2005       May 24, 2005       May 24, 2005


We Can't Wait To Use This One at Cocktail Parties

Yesterday's Ticker generated more feedback than any single issue in
the Ticker's history. Most of the e-mails filled us in on the proper
name for yesterday's sky feature (which goes to show you that ignorance
is not only bliss, it's darn approachable, too!).



The proper term for the dark streak phenomenon featured in yesterday's
Ticker is anticrepuscular ray. The word "crepuscular" actually refers
to twilight, not an impolite weightlifter, as one might believe.
The "anti" part indicates that the ray was seen in the part of the
sky opposite the Sun (in other words, towards the east-southeast
at sunset). Anticrepuscular rays (and their sunward cousins,
crepuscular rays) refer to the dark/shadowy rays and bright/sunny
rays ... which makes sense, because you can't really have one without
the other.

To think that the philistines on the Ticker staff had been using
"shadow" all these years. Well, it's embarrassing.