DEAR SUN SPOTS: I would like to know if you know anything about the high-flying silent planes that fly back and forth across a blue sky leaving trails of who knows what that do not dissipate like the regular jet trails. A couple of weeks ago they few back and forth all day, leaving a blue sky milky. What are they doing or spreading? I believe they call them contrails or chemtrails. — Donna, Lisbon

ANSWER: Sun Spots loves it when someone asks her a question and she runs across the answer during her reading. In this case she came across the answer to your question in Tim Flannery’s “The Weather Makers,” which she recently listened to on a long drive.

There is no way, of course, to know what kind of plane you saw, as many planes emit contrails, but Sun Spots can tell you thanks to Flannery that the contrails you saw are made up of water vapor. Under some weather conditions contrails form cirrus clouds.

These clouds reflect sunlight and are one of the many factors complicating predictions for climate change. As Flannery relates, for the three days after 9/11, when no planes were in the air, the average daily temperature was two degrees higher than normal. Scientists think that rise in temperature was due partly to the absence of planes in the sky and resulting lower cloud cover, but they are unsure as to the precise effect of planes on climate change in general.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Franklin County Children’s Task Force annually holds a children’s festival. The event is completely free to attend and open to the public. It is held the first weekend of February vacation at the University of Maine at Farmington. This free family event helps to relieve cabin fever with music, magic, movement, hands-on activities and a low-cost food court.

We are asking for donations of large bubble wrap for our Movement/Activities room. Strange request, but the little ones just love to jump up and down on a bubble-wrapped floor. Please send or drop off your donations of bubble wrap at 113 Church St., Farmington, ME 04938. — sharmon@fcctf.org, 778-6960

ANSWER: Sun Spots hopes you have as much luck with your request as the following writer did with his request for packing peanuts.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I just wanted to thank you for the kind Nov. 21 write-up re my request for packing peanuts. You can hardly believe the response! I got eight giant bags from a business that recently closed down, and another business contacted me to tell me they get packing peanuts in everyday and I’m welcome to come and pick them up as often as I like. So you definitely made my day! Thank you for the wonderful service you provide. I think everyone reads your column! — Bill Cartmel-Maroldo, bill@billstuff.com

DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Women’s Club of Greene is in need of sponsors to help fill the needs of our less privileged neighbors in the area for Christmas.

This annual program is trying to provide warm hats, mittens, coats, socks, boots and food gift certificates for children and seniors that need a helping hand during the holiday season.

If you would like to be a sponsor, please call me for information on sizes needed. You may purchase a single item, sponsor the needs of a child or senior, or checks can be sent to the Women’s Club, P.O. Box 152, Greene, ME 04236, and we will do the shopping for you. Thank you. — Brenda Theriault, 946-5750, lindysauto@roadrunner.com

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be e-mailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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