RECORD OF AURORAL PHENOMENA. 67 



December 2-3, 1821. 



"The concluding month of this year presented more frequent as well as more brilliant displays of 

 the Aurora Borealis than we had noticed at an earlier period of the winter. 



On the evening of the 2d, we observed it constantly appearing, from five till ten o'clock, in one 

 quarter of the heavens or another, but entirely confined to the southern side of the zenith. It 

 consisted sometimes of luminous blotches or small clouds ; at others, of coruscations shooting 

 upwards, and a stationary light always perceptible near the horizon from S. S. E. to S. W. The 

 light was white or yellowish-white, and the compass was not affected. 



On the evening of the 3d, it also appeared in little white spots, resembling the nebidae in the heavens, 

 as viewed by a telescope, or the milky way on a very clear night. 



I may here remark, by the way, that this last beautiful feature of the heavens very seldom appeared 

 here, for, notwithstanding the notion generally entertained of the extreme clearness of the atmo- 

 sphere under a polar sky, we have always found the very reverse to be the fact. It is true, indeed, 

 that, with a northerly or westerly wind, the sky was generally what u-oidd be called clear; but there 

 is scarcely one night in twenty when the heavenly bodies, if viewed through a telescope, do not 

 appear surrounded with more or less haze. Indeed, it very seldom happens that a considerable 

 deposition of minute snow may not be observed to take place, even in the clearest nights, in 

 these regions." — Ibid., p. 141. 



N. B. — 1. Aurora entirely confined to the south side of the zenith. 



2. Appeared in little white spots resembling the nebula;. 



3. Instead of the extreme clearness of atmosphere under a polar sky, we have always found 



the very reverse to be the fact. 



December 4, 1821. 



"While making lunar observations on the evening of the 4th, Mr. Ross and myself remarked a 

 meteor falling from the S. E. to N. "W., being about 40° high when it disappeared. It fell so 

 slowly as to be visible for four or five secouds, but was in every other respect like the falling 

 stars, as they are called, seen in other parts of the world. 

 At llh. p.m., the Aurora was seen forming an arch, about 5° high in the centre and extending 

 from S. S. W. to S. E. The magnetic needle of Alexander's compass was not perceptibly 

 affected during its continuance." — Ibid., p. 142. 



December 14, 1821. 



"On the afternoon of the 14th, the Aurora began to show itself as soon as it was dark, consisting 

 principally of rays shooting up from the horizon, in the E. by N., towards the zenith, and some- 

 times passing through but very little beyond it towards the opposite side of the heavens. Just 

 before ten o'clock, however, a much finer display of this phenomenon presented itself than we 

 had yet seen this season. 



There still remained a place near the horizon at E. by N., whence a bright light seemed constantly 

 to issue; and if any part of the phenomenon could be said to continue uniformly the same, it 

 was the leg of a broadish arch in that point, which scarcely ever changed its place or the inten- 

 sity of its light. 



The arch was at times completed, or thrown over to the W. S. W., being 15° high in the centre 

 and generally about 2° broad, though in this respect it was irregular and somewhat variable. 

 The lower part of the arch was always well defined, the space under it appearing dark, as if a 

 black cloud had been there, which, however, was not the case, as we saw the stars in it unob- 

 scured except by the light of the Aurora. The upper side of the arch was never well defined, 

 but its light was gradually softened off so as to miugle with the azure of the sky, and often 

 sent up coruscations towards the zenith. 



Thus far description may give some faint idea of this brilliant and extraordinary phenomenon 

 because its figure here maintained some degree of regularity ; but during the most part of its 

 continuance it is, I believe, almost impossible to convey to the minds of others an adequate 

 conception of the truth. It is with much deference, therefore, that I offer the following descrip- 



