At the University of Missouri in the United States, there was a weird painting.
■Key points of this article that can be understood in 3 lines
- In 1780, something strange happened to the sky. It became dark during the day and the sun turned red. This event caused panic among people in five American states who reacted differently.
- Different groups, religious or non-religious, interpreted the event in different ways. Some people saw it as a sign of the end times. This made them think that there would be chaos and confusion.
- In the same year, a big forest fire happened in Canada’s Algonquin Highlands. It made lots of smoke which caused dark skies.
During the time of oil paintings, this picture was only in black and white. The strange sky and busy crowds make people think it’s a night painting, but it’s not. This happened during the day in America when five states had no sunlight. They investigated and found it wasn’t because of an eclipse. So what happened? What caused it?
Why did it suddenly lose its light?
The event took place in the east of America. 5 states were involved: Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connecticut.It was May 1780, and it was springtime when everything was recovering from winter. New England was also waking up from the cold, but suddenly something strange happened.
When the moon rises at night, it gets a little red. People should pay more attention to this. Some think it’s just a regular thing. But, something later happened and they realized that the red moon was a warning for New England people.
On May 19, at 8 a.m., the sun was supposed to rise slowly. But it didn’t show up. At 8 o’clock, the sky was still dark. People thought there was a problem with time but it was accurate. The sun had disappeared and people panicked.
During the relevant time, the sun had risen, but it was covered by a dark rust-like cloud. This type of cloud is different from that of a cloudy day which has denser clouds but brighter skies. However, the rust cloud blocked sunlight completely without penetration.
At noon, the sun got stronger. The sky turned red, like blood. Rusty clouds covered it. The world was dark, like hell. It was scary.
At night, the moon rose quietly behind clouds. The red disk looked like fire instead of bright light. The sky did not clear the following day; it became more terrifying and gloomy. This caused panic among New England’s people.
Will the sun still rise as usual?
In New England, many people believe in Christianity and see the red sun and moon as symbols of destruction. They think that the end times mentioned in the Bible are happening now. People are crying and praying because they believe that the world is going to end soon. They hope that God will bless them during this difficult time.
Some people who don’t believe in religion do not feel scared when they see the end of the world coming. They feel relieved because they think it’s better to be free and happy instead of crying. They drink and gather with others who share their beliefs.
During the end of the world, people felt happy before dying under alcohol’s influence. They finally let out their suppressed feelings. During that time, the society had no rules to follow. Gangsters made women take off their clothes, showing that morals were low.This behavior is sadder than God’s punishment.
Under the New England regional government, people felt better and the living order improved somewhat. Many think it’s preferable to die calmly with dignity than to perish in a grimy way, even if the sky turns red.
A false alarm and the culprit behind the scenes
After a long night on May 19, people in New England finally saw the dawn. With the sun shining, order was restored among the English. However, some people realized it was just a false alarm. What caused this disaster?
Many scientists concluded that the darkening of the sun was not an eclipse. The moon did not block the sun or enter the earth’s darkness. Instead, a dark cloud like rust blocked the sun and moon.
Solar and lunar eclipses happen everywhere, but this one only happened in the US. Therefore, it’s not an eclipse. In 2007, scientists found an old fire site in Canada’s Algonquin Highlands that was inactive for hundreds of years.
Researchers examined growth rings on burnt trees and concluded that a fire occurred in 1780. No humans were injured as there was nobody close-by. The flames caused heavy smoke which created thick clouds obstructing New England’s sky. Scholars can now rest as this long-standing mystery has been solved.
Seeing humanity in the face of catastrophic disasters
In recent times, there are frequent large fires globally due to temperature rise. Many countries including New England have faced sky-blocking fireworks. Humans are limited, and nature is unforgiving. It’s important to preserve nature as industries grow rapidly. After all, the earth is where we live.
The world panicked due to rumors of disasters. Some stayed kind, while others changed. When the truth was revealed, the ugly behavior was remembered.
In times of calamity, a good friend is important. We should stay calm and think clearly. It’s crucial to not lose hope and keep a positive attitude. We must protect ourselves and those we care about.
