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Re: Red sky at night.......Posted by Peter on July 21, 2000 In Reply to: Re: Red sky at night....... posted by Sauerkraut on July 21, 2000 : : : : Anyone know the meaning/origin or variations of this phrase, I have heard it applied variously to shepherds and sailors : : : Red sky at night, sailors' delight. : : : No idea of origin, I'm just remembering the rhyme from childhood. : Whatever language Noah spoke, he probably had a variation on this one. The saying arose from observations made by sailors, who have a clear view of a 360 degree horizon. Most of the weather in the Northern Hemisphere goes from west to east in cyclic patterns of clear and rain. Thus if one sees a red sunset, there are clear skies to the west, and tomorrow will likely be nice. : However, if the sunrise is rosy, the "chunk" of good weather has passed, and rain is more likely to move in. : My ability to spell in Italian stinks, but my Italian wife knows this same little rhyme, which translated goes like this: : Rosy in the evening, expect a good time tomorrow : : The red sky in each case if caused by the sun striking particles of dust in the atmosphere and, with the suns at a low angle, it's (poetically) peering through this dust. Rain, and other atmospherical effects clears a proportion, more rain clears more hence; we get mornings and evenings less the rosy glow. Thanks both, but how did the shepherds get involved in the story?
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