To measure the difference in the intensities of the rays of different sources of light we can use a spectroscopic arrangement with two slits (S) (Fig. 27) placed in a line at right angles to the axis of the collimator. One slit is a little below the other, the rays being reflected to the collimating lens L, by means of two right-angled prisms P, and two spectra are formed, one above the other. By placing the rotating sectors in front of one of the sources, the intensities of the different parts of the spectrum can be equalized and measured.
Fig. 28.—Spectrum Intensities of Sunlight, Gaslight, and Blue Sky.
The curves for the annexed figure (Fig. 28) were derived from measures taken in this manner. If the rays of a May-day sun are taken at 100, it will be seen what a rapid diminution there is in the green and the blue rays in gaslight. Gaslight only possesses about 20% of the green rays, whilst of the violet hardly 5%. On the other hand the light which comes to us from the sky shows a very marked falling off in the yellow and red rays. A very easy experiment will convince us of the difference in colour between skylight and gaslight. If we let a beam of daylight fall on a sheet of paper at the end of a blackened box, and cast a shadow with a rod by such a beam, and then bring a lighted candle or gas-flame so that it casts another shadow of the rod alongside, one shadow will be illuminated by the artificial light, and the other by the daylight. The difference in colour will be most marked: the blue of the latter light and the yellow of the former being intensified by the contrast (see [page 198]).
Fig. 29.—Comparison of Sun and Sky Lights.
By a little trouble the blue light from the sky may be compared with sunlight. A beam of light B (Fig. 29) is reflected by a silvered glass mirror from the blue sky into the box HH, at the end of which is a screen E. Another mirror A, which is preferably of plain glass, reflects light from the sun on to a second unsilvered mirror G (shown in the figure as a prism), which again reflects it on to the screen, and each of these lights casts a shadow from the rod D; K are rotating sectors to diminish the sunlight, and we can make two equally bright shadows alongside one another. The bluer colour of the sky will be very evident.