PROCEEDINGS 



OF 



THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY. 



1840. No. 24. 



June 8. 



SIR Wm. R. HAMILTON, LL.D., President, in the Chair. 



George Wilkinson, Esq., and G. Willoughby Hemans, 

 Esq., were elected Members of the Academy. 



The following note, by John Ball, Esq., M.R.I.A., on 

 the Aurora of the 24th of April, was read by the Secretary : 



"It being possible that a very brilHant Aurora, which oc- 

 curred on the night of Friday, April 24, may have been the 

 subject of observation in different parts of the country, I 

 offer the following notes, taken at the time, as a contribution 

 to the facts which it is so desirable to collect together, in re- 

 ference to these phenomena. Being unprovided with in- 

 struments, the only point of interest which I was able to 

 attend to was the period at which the more observable 

 rapic? changes took place. To fix the position of such changes, 

 it would have been desirable to note their exact direction 

 by the compass, which might be done where there are seve- 

 ral observers ; but my whole attention being directed to the 

 time, I was unable to effect this. To supply as far as pos* 

 sible the deficiency, I have endeavoured, by rude outlines, 



2 Q 



