156 - Mr William Sturgeon on the Aurora Dorealis. 



badly defined that no exact point in the heavens could be selected 

 to mark the precise dimensions. The altitude of this northern light 

 was quite as difficult to ascertain as its horizontal range, because of 

 its gradual softening into the ordinary nocturnal colour of the sky. 

 I can only say that it embraced « Lyrse and a Cygni, which were 

 seen within it ; the latter star just within its upper edge. 



Such were the characteristics of the meteor till nearly nine o'clock, 

 about which time commenced the first novelty in the history of the 

 aurora borealis. A glow of light made its appearance close to the 

 tail of the Great Bear, which waxed to a considerable degree of 

 brightness, and after remaining for about half a minute, it gradually 

 waned in splendour, until it finally disappeared. This spectacle had 

 just ended, when a horizontal arrangement of short glowing beams, 

 of the usual shape of streamers, began to parade the northern 

 heavens, about half-way between the steady glare of light already 

 described, and the Pole-star. They came into existence on the east- 

 ern side of the meridian, and marched very orderly, one after an- 

 other, westward, in the same regular order of succession as they 

 sprang into existence, until they reached a point directly beneath 

 Cassiopia's Cltair, where they became extinct, and were successively 

 lost in the sky at the moment of their respective arrival at this spot, 

 their apparent destination. This scene lasted several minutes, almost 

 without interruption. During some part of the time the line of 

 columns, between the two points in the heavens, was complete 

 from one to the other, and had very much the appearance of an army 

 of soldiers marching in single file, where the observer could just see 

 them coming into view on his right, and vanish on his left ; the whole 

 marching past as if for his especial review. The bases of these lumi- 

 nous beams were Hat and well defined, but the upper extremities 

 were of a diffused radiant character, and gradually softened off till 

 lost. During the time of this strange spectacle, several minor groups 

 made momentary displays in different parts of the northern sky, and 

 all seemed to move in tiie same direction, from east to west. 



The next scene in the drama was partly similar to that just de- 

 scribed, but of far greater splendour and extent. It began about 

 half-past nine, at a point near the tip of the tail of the Great Bear, 

 with a steady glow of pale light, from which issued an immense host 

 of bright glowing beams, which marched across the meridian, with 

 their centres at the altitude of the Pole-star, until they reached nearly 

 to Venus. The movements of this grand array were slower than 

 those of the first described columns, and also different in character. 

 The first glided smoothly along without much vibratory motion ; but 

 these exhibited a kind of dancing or jog-trot sort of march ; which 

 appeared as regular as the march of an army of soldiers guided by a 

 band of music ; nil hands, from front to rear, keeping step in a vei'y 

 orderly manner. The length of these beams much exceeded the 

 length of the former group, and their upper extremities were so well 



