ASTRONOMY AND METEOROLOGY. 387 



work in one night, and execute the same \vith greater accuracy, than 

 he could previously in many weeks of continued observation. Editor. 



THE AURORA BOREALIS OF SEPTEMBER, 1851. 



SIXCE the grand aurora of November 17, 1848, (which was distin- 

 guished for its great extent, being seen in nearly equal splendor from 

 Odessa on the east to California on the west,) we have had no exhibi- 

 tion of the highest class like those which occurred from 1835 to 1839, 

 inclusive, but the month of September, 1851, was signalized by three 

 grand auroras, occurring respectively on the nights of the 3d, the 6th, 

 and the 29th. An aurora borealis of the highest class is distinguished 

 by the presence of all the more striking characters of the phenomena 

 combined, or at least exhibited in rapid succession, such as arches, 

 streamers, a corona and waves. Each of the late auroras was charac- 

 terized by marks of the greatest intensity, especially in the complete- 

 ness and grandeur of the corona, and of the auroral waves ; ancf that 

 of the 29th was remarkable for passing to a great distance beyond our 

 zenith, presenting a well-defined and very luminous arch, whose point 

 of culmination was within 30 of the southern horizon. What is quite 

 unusual, this meteor was visible throughout the southern states, and 

 presented a striking and splendid appearance as far south as Charleston 

 and Savannah. 



INFLUENCE OF THE AURORA UPON THE WEATHER. 



MR. J. L. HEXDRICK, of Litchfield, Conn., in furnishing the Regents 

 of the University of New York with a series of observations on the 

 occurrence and intensity of the aurora borealis during the year 1850, 

 makes the following remarks on the fancied connection between this 

 phenomenon and changes in the weather. " These observations con- 

 firm me in the belief that the aurora is not an indication of any future 

 change in the weather, but an effect of a previous change, or of a 

 certain state of the atmosphere. Of those that occurred during the first 

 six months, every one (8) was preceded by rain or snow within two days 

 preceding that in which the aurora borealis occurred, while only six 

 were followed by either within three days after. During the next six 

 months 11 were preceded and 8 followed by snow or rain. A change, 

 however, that occurs three days after the phenomenon hardly deserves 

 to be counted, as so many things may interfere to effect the result. If 

 Ave take the same number of days selected at random throughout the 

 year, we should doubtless find as many of the selected days followed, 

 if not preceded, by changes of weather, as we find among those dis- 

 tinguished for the appearance of the aurora. The greatest number of 

 the more remarkable occurred in April, May, September and October." 



ON THE CLOUDS AND EQUATORIAL CLOUD RINGS OF THE EARTH. 



THE following is an abstract of a paper read at the meeting of the 

 American Association, Albany, by Lieutenant Maury, of the National 

 Observatory : 



