^SS Meteorology. 



METEOROLOGY. 



Mock Moon. — At eleven o'clock P.M. on Monday the 24th of 

 March, a luminous paraselene, or mock moon, was observed at 

 Clapton by Mr. Thomas Forster, It appeared at about 25 de- 

 grees from the moon, in the northern side, and at the same 

 elevation above the horizon. An ohlong band of light extended 

 from it. It lasted about five minutes, and was produced by the 

 refraction of the light through a fine veil of the wane cloud or 

 cirrostratiis. 



Aurora Boi ealis. 



Observations on the recent api)earance of the aurora bo- 

 realis in southern latitudes were stated in our last to have been 

 made in France as well as in this country. The following is an 

 interesting account of its appearance at Paris on the same day as 

 it was observed here, (the Sth of February,) and about the same 

 hour, nine in the evening. 



" The sky was clear, and there were seen about the zenith 

 spots of a white hue, like the tail of a comet. A bright light 

 like that of the dawn appeared in the north. On the cpiays, the! 

 bridges, and all open places, tiie crov.d stopped to admire this 

 rare phaenomenon. But to enjoy the sight in all its sublimity it 

 was necessary to ascend the platform of some lofty edifice. At 

 such an elevation, where one commanded the horizon, there was 

 beheld a dazzling circle of several degrees in breadth, extending 

 from east to west. In the interior of this circle the obscurity 

 was complete ; and the stars of the smallest magnitude could bs 

 perceived. From the exterior part there darted from time to 

 time innumerable beams of a white and faintly tinged light ; 

 which joining at the zenith, and even at the south, formed im- 

 mense sheets, and shrunk together rapidiv like a fisherman's net. 

 The beams which issued from the extremitv of the arch, at first 

 yellowish and then orange-coloured, soon became of a deep red ; 

 and the constellation of the Bear, hardly visible through this ter- 

 rible brightness, seemed bathed in blood. The sky becatne at last 

 covered with clouds, and the phcenomenon disappeared. '^ 



This remarkable aurora was observed on the same evenitig 

 throughout the south of Germany. The appearances seem to 

 have been on the whole much the same as at Paris, only in some 

 places fainter than in others. Mr, Stark at Augsburg observed, 

 that Volta's electrometer and the magnetic needle were almost 

 constantly in motion. At half-past eight the western variation 

 of the needle increased 1° 30' : in a quarter of an hour its oscil- 

 lations were quicker ; and at 18 minutes past nine its increased 

 western variation was 2" 7'. At a quarter before ten the needle 

 became more steady, and returned slowly to 18^ 29', where it was 

 before the phaenomenon. 



Astro- 



