120 Norves ro THE Extra OBSERVATIONS OF MAGNETOMETERS, JANUARY 26—FeEpruary 1, 1846, 
NOTES ON THE AURORA BOREALES SEEN AT MAKERSTOUN. 
Jan. 26 13 10. Very thin cirri radiating in bands, as on the 24th, from NW by N. and SE by S., forming a very 
irregular halo round the moon; the cirri seem to spring in tufts from the border of the halo, in 
the direction of the radiations, namely, from SE by S. 
25. The halo rather better defined, although still irregular. The colours of the interior corona are also 
more distinct. There may be auroral light to N., but if so, it is completely masked by the cirri 
and moonlight. 
14 10. Cri much as before, very like a bank of auroral light from NW by N., eastward. There is some- 
thing decidedly peculiar about these cirri. At 14" 10™ observed towards SW., altitude 45°, a series 
of parallel narrow bands of eirri, some nearly 30’ broad; watched them very attentively, in order 
to see if any pulsations occurred ; could not see that they moved excepting longitudinally ; at 141 
they had arrived at the moon and broken the halo into bands; they had thus moved bodily abou 
40° in less than 4™, It is conceived that the length of the bands are increased as well as their 
number. It is to be remarked, that these bands did not lie in the same direction as the other 
cirrous streaks, the latter le nearly in the magnetic meridian, the bands lie nearly east and west. 
The bands from NW by N. span the sky in complete arches. Were the cirri not seen plainly 
near the moon, and the connection traced to the N., the appearance on the N. horizon would be 
noted wnhesitatingly as the common homogeneous bank of auroral light. 
15 10. Halo gone at present, but cirrous bands nearly as before. A black patch of cirro-stratus near the 
NW. horizon; this was also noticed at 13, 15™. It has been noticed throughout, that the decli- 
nation magnet moves irregularly, by fits or jerks, the vibration often ceasing, or nearly so, a . 
30™, W. portion of halo visible; many patches of cirro-stratus or seud risen on NW., N. ané 
SW. horizon. 45™. A rather thicker cirrus coming up to the meridian, moving slowly, with 
patches of cirro-stratus. The clouds continued moving up more quickly, becoming more and 
more dense till 16" 10™, when the moon was totally obscured, though thin cirri were still seen to E, 
Jan. 28 7 35. Light seen through the clouds to N. 
8 30. Auroral light seen through the clouds to N. 
50. As far as the aurora can be seen it appears to be quite amorphous ; no pulsations or streamers. 
Jan. 29 7 5. Auroral light to N. 30™, Auroral light becoming fainter. 
Jan. 30 10 10. There seems a faint auroral light among the haze to N., but it is doubtful. 
Feb. 112 4. The magnets having exhibited some slight irregularities in their motions, the observer looked to see 
if he could detect any appearance of aurora, the sky being perfectly clear, but he could not 
haying again entered the Observatory for a minute, he returned at 9™, and found the sky suddenly 
(in a minute or so) turned milky, with the exception of a streak of blue, reaching from SW. to. 
wards NE., another streak meeting it near the zenith (from NE. ?) at the same time it became much 
lighter to N. and especially to NE. There was now without doubt aurora, with faint pulsation 
12 20. A most strange aurora; one portion extends in a bank along the horizon from SW. to NE, to an 
altitude of 45° above WNW., another similar portion to E.; pulsations all round, especially te 
SE. ; just now streaks with the bluish sky to E., altitude 45°. 
The western bank brightest on the whole; there is a sort of radiation from SW. and NE. ; six-tenth 
of the sky covered by aurora, and as much to §. as to N.; at times no pulsations visible, but the 
aurora seems to extend like a thin haze over the deeper blue of the sky ; the general position of the 
great boundaries are pretty permanent for some time. 
36. Very bright pulsation ; meteor shot rapidly towards the zenith from 60° altitude above NE. ; streak 
to E. still bright ; patch to SSW. with pulsations ; all the stars distinctly visible through the 
aurora, 
45. Muchas before ; the Pleiades are immediately out of the W. bank, as they have been throughout th 
whole time. 
50. Sky nearly covered with the milky aurora; bank of cirro-stratus during the whole period to 
SE.; no other clouds visible ; streaks of blue sky to NW; dark space throughout the observa: 
tionsin N. horizon. The edge of the cirro-stratus in E. and S, horizon, seems to be rather brighter | 
than the rest, just like the clouds in the N. horizon during aurora. 
The observer watched the appearance of this aurora till 13 10™. In its general features it con- 
tinued much as before; a rather wide streak of sky to NW. noticed at 60™ (which, it is believed 
existed before that minute), passing immediately below the Pleiades seems very permanent in it 
form and relation to the bank of aurora, The W. bank was on the whole brightest, although ver’ 
variable in its brightness throughout. The luminosity of each mass was rather uniform, excepti 
a patch to SSW. which was much brighter than the surrounding aurora. The dark space on the 
N. horizon mentioned at 50™, was something like that under the usual auroral arch, but ill formed, 
and not easily separated in some places from the aurora. 
bo 
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