24- Appearances of Aurora Borealis 



not to claim the attention of the correspondents of your Ma- 

 gazine. Allow me, therefore, to state the appearances at this 

 place, in the hope that others, better qualified than myself, 

 may add to the report of their observations their thoughts on 

 the origin or cause of this beautiful and interesting kind of 

 phenomenon. 



At 9 p.m. the aurora was first seen by me, although some 

 indications had been noticed more than an hour before. At 

 this time the whole sky, from the n.e. point of the horizon to 

 the s.w., was highly illuminated : at the base was a brilliant 

 elliptic arch of bright yellow; above which, at some distance, 

 was a second luminous arch, surrounded, at the apex and for 

 some distance on each side, with points, those nearest the 

 centre forming isosceles triangles : the space below the first 

 arch was of a ferruginous purple colour, while that which se- 

 parated the two arches assumed a brighter blue tint, approach- 

 ing nearer to the general colour of the sky at night. From 

 these arches frequently emanated long streams of light, some 

 of a bright red, and others of a greyish blue, colour, which 

 extended considerably to the southward of the zenith ; at times 

 the whole body of light was much increased, as if a discharge 

 had taken place, when streams like to those before-mentioned 

 were ejected, and coruscations, having the appearance of tidal 

 waves flowing on a level shore, were noticed. These flickered 

 in an extraordinary manner, and their undulations were ex- 

 tremely rapid as they passed off into the distance. By 10 p.m. 

 the rays and coruscations had ceased, and the lower arch of 

 silvery light alone remained ; but about 1 1 o'clock the grey 

 rays were again ejected, but did not continue for any length 

 of time ; from .this hour, until 5 o'clock the following morning, 

 the north-western quarter of the heavens was illuminated by a 

 silvery light, like that of the rising moon, rendering distant 

 objects distinctly visible. What most excited my surprise is, 

 that, at the time the aurora was brightest, a few streams of 

 red light seemed to cross those issuing from the arches almost 

 at right angles. A fresh breeze blew from the westward 

 during the time; the barometer rose a little, and the thermo- 

 meter, which stood at 41° 50' at 10 p.m., fell to 35° 25' in the 

 night; some rain fell on the night of the 19th. The accom- 

 panying sketch shows the appearance about half-past 9 o'clock 



(M 12.) 



The appearance of aurora borealis above noticed was by 

 much the most splendid one that has been seen at Wycombe 

 during my residence at it (nearly thirteen years). The other 

 instances in which they have been deserving of particular at- 

 tention occurred on January 7. 1831, and on September 9. 



