19 May 20

Today is the 240th anniversary of New England's Dark Day (1780), when (according to the Wikipedia entry) "an unusual darkening of the day sky was observed over the New England states and parts of Canada. The primary cause of the event is believed to have been a combination of smoke from forest fires, a thick fog, and cloud cover. The darkness was so complete that candles were required from noon on. It did not disperse until the middle of the next night." According to news reports, some groups of people, including the Connecticut State Council, believed the world was ending. My midnight-blue woolen tie captures the darkness well.