152 Mr William Sturgeon on the Aurora Borealis. 



the time, and some rain had fallen whilst I was in the omnibus; 

 but every streak and other form of cloud, all of which were exceed- 

 ingly thin or attenuated, seemed to take a part in the auroral dis- 

 phiy ; and those pai-ts of the heavens which were not covered with 

 cloud, appeared as if full of a luminous mist or haze, through which 

 some of the principal stars were seen. 



Such was the state of the aurora borealis when I arrived at home, 

 then about a quarter before eight o'clock; but I was soon made to 

 understand that I had lost the grandest part of the spectacle, which, 

 as I was told, occurred about seven o'clock. The aurora had been 

 watched by my family from about six in the evening, at which time 

 the streamers were very fine; they occupied an extensive lateral range, 

 and were of the usual pale colour. A little before seven, the 

 streamers became nioi-e abundant, intensely brilliant, and reached 

 over the zenith southwards, to the distance of twenty or more de- 

 grees ; and, what increased the splendour of the scene, was a brilliant 

 crimson canopy in the heavens, which became gradually transcolouied 

 into a lively purple. On the eastern side, also, about 15° above the 

 horizon, was an immense blush of red light, which gradually faded 

 away and was lost. 



These were the prinei[)al features of the aurora till about seven 

 o'clock, after which hour its appearance was nearly the same as when 

 I first saw it. Sliortly after eight, an abundance of detached clouds 

 floated over this locality, and partly obliterated the splendour of the 

 meteor, which was now only occasionally exhibited in the openings 

 amongst them. The wind being brisk, the groups of clouds that 

 passed over made a (]uick transit, and soon gave place to a full dis- 

 play of the auroi-al glare, which, though strongest about the northern 

 heavens, spread n.oro or less over every part of the celestial vault. 



Before nine o'clock the sky was again completely covered with 

 thin clouds, but still a strong light passed through them, which gave 

 a distinctness to objects, and to boundaiies of land, as though it had 

 been the twiliorht of a fine evenino-. About ten, an extensive blush 

 of red light hovei'cd in the southern parts of the heavens, at an alti- 

 tude of about 40°, and continued nearly stationary for several minutes, 

 with every appearance of the usual aerial spectra of an intense confla- 

 gration below. The curtain now dropped till nearly eleven, when 

 an intense light, in the east and west, with a few streamers in the 

 north, burst into view as if by magic ; for thin clouds still obscured 

 the stars except at occasional openings, wliere they were seen as 

 bright spangles behind a luminous mist. 



In one of these openings, an extensive blush of fiery red light ap- 

 peared in the west, and gradually floated, southwards, along with the 

 group of clouds that surroumied it, until it reached a little eastward 

 of tlie southern meridian, where it appeared to remain stationary for 

 a short time, gradually diminishing in intensity and dimensions till 

 it finally disappeared. From this time till twelve o'clock, nothing 



