80 RECORD OF AURORAL PHENOMENA. 



complete segment was formed of waving perpendicular radii. As soon as the arch was complete, 

 the light became greatly increased; and the prismatic colors, which had before been faint, now 

 shone forth in a very brilliant manner. The strongest colors, which were also the outside ones, 

 were pink and green ; the centre color was yellow, and the intermediate ones, on the pink side, 

 purple and green, on the green side purple and pink; all of which were as imperceptibly blended 

 as in the rainbow. The green was the color nearest the zenith. This magnificent display lasted 

 a few minutes, and the light had nearly vanished, when the S. E. quarter sent forth a vigorous 

 display, and nearly at the same time a corresponding coruscation emanated from the opposite 

 extremity. The western foot of the arch then disengaged itself from the horizon, crooked to 

 the northward, and the whole retired to the N. E. quarter, where a white spot blazed for a 

 moment, and all was darkness. 



I have been thus particular in my description, because the appearance was unusually brilliant, and 

 because very few observations on this phenomenon have been made in this part of the world. 



There was no noise audible during any part of our observations, nor were the compasses percep- 

 tibly affected."— Beechey, 1, 281-82. 



N. B. 1. There was no noise audible during any part of our observations, 



2. Nor were our compasses perceptibly affected. 



Nijnei Kolymsk.— Lat. 68° 31' 53" N„ Long. 160° 56' E. November 22, 1820. Yon Wkangell. 



"The polar night had set in on the 22d of November (1820), and the beauty of the varied forms of 

 the Aurora, seen on the deep azure of the clear northern sly, was a source of unwearied enjoy- 

 ment to us almost every evening." — Von Wrangell, p. 83. 



Nijnei Kolymsk.— Lat. 68° 31' 53" N. Long. 1G0° 56' E. 1820-21. Von Wkangell. 



"The general characteristics of the Aurora Borealis are so well known that it is unnecessary to 

 describe them here; I will, therefore, confine myself to the following particulars, which appear 

 to deserve a special notice. 



1. When the streamers rise high, and approach the full moon, a luminous circle of from 20° to 

 30° is frequently formed round it; the circle continues for a time and then disappears. 



2. When the streamers extend to the zenith, or nearly so, they sometimes resolve themselves into 

 small, faintly luminous, and cloud-like patches, of a milk-white color, and which not unfrequeutly 

 continue to be visible on the following day in the shape of white wave-like clouds. 



3. We often saw on the northern horizon, below the auroral light, dark blue clouds, which bear a 

 great resemblance in color and form to the vapors which usually rise from a sudden break in the 

 ice of the sea. 



4. Even during the most brilliant Auroras, we could never perceive any considerable noise, but in 

 such cases we did hear a slight hissing sound, as when the wind blows on a flame. 



5. The Auroras seen from Nijnei Kolymsk (lat. 68° 32') usually commence in the northeastern 

 quarter of the heavcus; and the middle of the space which they occupy in the northern horizon 

 is generally 10° or 20° east of true north. The magnetic variation at this place is about 10° 

 east. 



6. Auroras are more frequent and more brilliant on the sea-coast than at a distance from it. The 

 latitude of the place does not otherwise influence them. Thus, for example, it would seem from 

 the accounts of the Tchuktches, that in Koliutchin Island (in 67° 26' lath. ..t), Auroras are 

 much more frequent and more brilliant than at Nijnei Kolymsk, in latitude 68° 32'. On the 

 coast, we often saw the streamers shoot up to the zenith ; whereas this was rarely the case at 

 Nijnei Kolymsk; nor was the light nearly so brilliant at the latter place. 



1. The inhabitants of the coast affirm, that after a brilliant Aurora they always have a strong 

 gale from the quarter in which it appeared; we did not observe this to be the case at Nijnei 



