1 82 1 .] D)\ Barney^ s MeteorologicalJournal kepSat Gosport. 37 1 



indeed was the grandest display of meteors we ever remember to 

 have seen in so short a period, arising from the very gaseous or^ 

 inflammable state of the air. The solar and lunar hafos, parase^ 

 lenca, and parhelia, are peculiar prognostics which seldom fail to 

 indicate approaching wet weather. The time and appearance of 

 these, and other atmospheric phenomena, may be seen particu- 

 larly described in our daily remarks on the weather, already^ 

 pubHshed. The amount of rain and of evaporation is less this* 

 year than it has been for some years past. March was the. 

 driest month, and August very wet and windy. 



Variation of the Magnetic Needle, — Further observations oa 

 the diurnal motion of the magnetic needle have enabled us to 

 determine its recession from its greatest western declination.^ 

 In this latitude it first began to recede, but in a very slow man- 

 ner, in the middle of the year 1819. The mean westerly varia-^ 

 tion here for December, 1820, was 24° 31' W\ 



The Planet Venus. — This brilliant planet excited much curio- 

 sity among the inhabitants of this town and neighbourhood oa- 

 Sept. 19, 1820, when she was distinctly seen with the naked eye^ 

 by people of all ages assembled in the streets, &c. from eighty 

 a. m. till she was near the western horizon in the afternoon. §h^ 

 was seen by us, without the help of a telescope, on the following;;, 

 days this year:— Sept. 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, 26, 28, and 30; 

 Oct. 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15, 17, 19, 20, 24, and 30 ; Nov. 2, 7, 15, 

 and 28. On the latter day she was 40° 58' 45'7'' to the west of 

 the Sun's centre. In the morning of October 6, Venus was 

 46° 15' 15'' to the west of the Sun's centre, and on the 8tli 

 following, 46° 25'; the latter was the greatest distance that 

 could be obtained from a number of sights taken with an excel- 

 lent sextent this and the preceding day ; consequently she was* 

 then at her greatest western elongation. From these and pre- 

 vious observations, it is inferred, that this planet may be seea, 

 with the naked eye in the open day, particularly when on the-- 

 meridian, in all that part of her orbit from 42° on either side or 

 the sun in clear weather. Should the atmosphere be clear at tha 

 close of next October, or the beginning of November, when she 

 will be about 42° to the east of the sun, no doubt she may be 

 then seen with the naked eye in the open day, and for some 

 weeks afterwards. 



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