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OBSERVATIONS ON SUNSETS AT THE GRAIG, ROSS, 

 HEREFORDSHIRE, 



From November 26th to December 9th, 1883. 

 213 feet above the sea-level. 



Sunrise and sunset have been well observed at this station during the last fort- 

 night. On Sunday evening, November 25th, after eleven days of very stormy wea- 

 ther, during which more than two inches of rain fell, with occasional heavy squalls, 

 a fine rainbow appeared in the north-east, and after dark, the thunderstorm which 

 was then affecting the south coast, was visible here in frequent fiashes of distant 

 lightning. On Monday evening, the 26th, we had the first, and perhaps the most 

 striking, of the series of gorgeous sunsets and sunrises we have since been privi- 

 leged to witness. The storm-clouds which, thougli rapidly clearing, were still 

 pa.ssing over, served to bring out in strong contrast the vivid and varied hues of 

 gold and pink, and green, which illuminated the more distant cirrus clouds, as 

 well perhaps as the volcanic or other particles in the still higher regions of the 

 atmosphere, if not indeed above its actual limits. 



On the succeeding night the western sky was covered with a belt of mottled 

 clouds which successively assumed almost every shade of colour from pink to in- 

 tense carmine. This extended more than half-way to the zenith, and was faintly 

 reflected in the eastern sky. On Tuesday, the 4th of December, after a glow of 

 extreme brightness, which brought out to perfection the architectural features of 

 the large perpendicular window in Leominster Church, and adjoining Norman 

 gateway and tower, the moon presented a most unusual ajipearance through a 

 slight haze. At one time it was a bright bluish green, and then became more of 

 the colour of steel. 



The twilight effects have been specially remarkable, — I speak as a close ob- 

 server for more than forty years— not only on account of their splendid colouring, 

 but from their unusual prolongation, and from their being seen in the "dark 

 days " of early December. 



Last summer, from the Trossacks end of Loch Katrine, I saw what I con- 

 sidered to be the finest pictorial effect of sunset I had ever previously witnessed — 

 but the sunsets lately seen have a peculiar character which I cannot describe. I 

 have seen very little Aurora during the period. I notice that one correspondent 

 alludes to the autumn of 1870 as being remarkable for splendid skies and followed 

 by intense frost. At that period there were some splendid exhibitions of Aurora 

 Borealis. 



