Angel hair

Angel Hair is a rare and perplexing phenomenon that has so far defied explanation. It is made up of silken threads that rain down onto the earth and stands out against a cloudless blue sky. Touching it will almost certainly make it vanish.

History

In September, 1741, one corner of Hampshire, England, became remarkable for a blizzard of gossamer that continued for hours. Residents from the small towns Bradley, Selbourne, and Alresford saw the downpour, which indicates that the fall covered a considerable area. One witness related what he had seen in a letter written four years after the event:

'As the morning advanced the sun became bright and warm, and the day turned out one of those most lovely ones which no season but the autumn produces; cloudless, calm, serene, and worthy of the South of France itself.'About nine [in the morning] a very unusual appearance began to demand our attention, a shower of cobwebs falling from very elevated regions, and continuing, without any interruption, till the close of the day. These webs were not single filmy threads, floating in the air in all directions, but perfect flakes or rags; some near and inch broad [2.5cm] , and five or six long [13-15cm] , which fell with a degree of velocity which showed they were considerably heavier than the atmosphere.'On every side as the observer turned his eyes might he behold a continual succession of fresh flakes falling into his sight, and twinkling like stars as they turned their sides toward the sun...Neither before nor after was any such fall observed; but on this day the flakes hung in the trees and hedges so thick, that a diligent person sent out might have gathered baskets full.'