RECORD OF AURORAL PHENOMENA. 101 



the one now described scarcely equal to that of the moon when a week old. The usual pale 

 light of the Aurora strongly resembles that produced by the combustion of phosphorus. A 

 very slight tinge of red was noticed on this occasion, when the Aurora was most vivid, but no 

 other colors were visible. Soon after we returned on board, the splendid part wholly disap- 

 peared, leaving only the ordinary light near the horizon ; in other respects the night remained 

 unchanged, but on the following day it blew a fresh gale from the north and N. N. W. 



' This Aurora had the appearance of being very near us, and we listened attentively for the sound 

 which is said sometimes to accompany brilliant displays of this phenomenon, but neither on this 

 nor on any other occasion could any be distinguished.' 



On the following day, the Aurora was repeatedly seen for an hour or two together, assuming the 

 shape of a loug low arch, from 3° to 12° high in the centre, extending from south to N. W." — 

 Ibid., pp. 134-35-36. 



N. B. — 1. The only brilliant display of Aurora seen during the whole winter. 



2. Towards southern horizon, the ordinary Aurora. 



3. Apparently issuing from behind a cloud. 



4. Aurora seen sometimes east, and sometimes west of south, but rarely seen in the 



northern horizon. 



5. Aurora in Britain as peculiar to the northern horizon as here to the southern. 



6. This Aurora appeared to be very near us. 



T. Heard no sound, which is said sometimes to accompany brilliant Aurora. 



February 3, 1820. 



" At six p. m., the Aurora Borealis appeared very faintly in a horizontal line of white light, extend- 

 ing from S. to S. S. W. and about 5° above the horizon. From nine till eleven, it was again 

 seen quite stationary aud very faint, from S. S. W. to \V. N. W., at three or four degrees of 

 altitude. 



Captain Sabine had, for some time past, kept one of the needles used for determining the intensity 

 of the magnetic force, suspended by a silk thread, in the Observatory, for the purpose of remark- 

 ing more satisfactorily than it could be done on board the ships, whether any effect was pro- 

 duced upon it by the Aurora Borealis. 



It might be supposed that in these regions, where the directive power of the needle had almost 

 entirely ceased, it would be more easily disturbed by any adventitious cause than in those parts 

 of the globe where the directive energy was greater; but we never could perceive the slightest 

 derangement to be produced in it by the Aurora.' 1 '' — Ibid., p. 139-40. 



N. B. — 1. At 6 p. m., appeared very faintly. 



2. From 9 till 11, again seen very faint. 



3. Could never perceive the slightest derangement of the needle produced by the Aurora. 



February 8, 1820. 



" On the 8th, at noon and for half an hour after, an appearance presented itself in the heavens which 

 we had not before observed. A thin fleecy cloud, of a pale-red color, and shaped like part of an 

 arch, commenced pretty strongly from the top of the land in the N. W., and ran more and more 

 faintly to N. by W., beyond which it could no longer be traced; it was here fifteen degrees 

 above the northern horizon. On looking for a continuation of it in the opposite quarter of the 

 heavens, we perceived a larger portion of another and fainter arch of pale-red or orange, com- 

 mencing at the horizon in the E. by N., and extending to 60° of altitude in the N. N. E., so as 

 evidently not to form a part of the western arch. Captain Sabine afterwards observed the 

 whole phenomenon to alter its position ; the leg of the eastern arch shifting considerably more 

 to the southward. In the evening, the Aurora Borealis was seen forming a confused and irregular 

 arch of white light, continually varying in brightness, about 8° high in the centre, and extend- 

 ing from S. by E., round by the W., to N. N. W. From the upper part of this arch, corusca- 

 tions occasionally shot upwards, and a few streamers now and then burst forth also from the 

 horizon in the S. S. E. ; these latter went nearly up to the zenith, while the rest were more 

 faint, and did not reach so high. I am confident that Aldebaran and the Pleiades were very 



