observed at Leith in 1825. 91 



The morning of the 3d of November was very stormy. 

 Wind N., strong. Heavy rain. Bar. 28.67, temp. 43°. Mean 

 pressure of the day, 28.942. In the evening it cleared ; the 

 stars shone brightly; and, at eleven o'clock, an Aurora Borealis 

 was observed. At Paris, at the same hour, " the north point 

 of the needle deviated from its mean position, 9' to the East. 1 ' 

 {Ann. de Chimie.) 4th November, pressure increasing rapid- 

 ly. Mean temp. 39°. Wind N.W. Pleasant day. Another 

 aurora, of great beauty, was observed in the evening ; the rays 

 were very numerous and very bright ; but they remained visi- 

 ble only for a few minutes. The phenomenon was neither pre- 

 ceded, nor followed, by the diffuse illumination of the northern 

 sky which generally accompanies this meteor. 



" The horizontal needle of the Observatory of Paris, was 

 observed on the 4th November to be much agitated from nine 

 o'clock a. m., till 2 p. m. ; but, in the evening, it had regained 

 its usual quiescent state. The rays, therefore,"" M. Arago re- 

 marks, " seen by the Scottish observers, were, most likely, the 

 remains of an aurora of the day." 



On the nights of the 14th, 21st, and 22d of November ,Jire- 

 balls were seen. , That of the 14th passed from east to west, 

 through a space in the heavens equal to 25°, exploding like a 

 rocket, nearly in our zenith ; it left a very bright luminous 

 tail in its course, which remained visible for a considerable 

 time after the meteor itself had disappeared. The apparent 

 size of those seen on the 21st and 22d was double that of stars 

 of the first magnitude. On the 22d, also, there was a very 

 beautiful display of Aurora Borealis ; its lustre was much im- 

 paired by the light of the moon, but still it appeared more ex- 

 tensive, and played with more celerity, than any that were seen 

 in the course of the year. The beams rose to the zenith, and 

 seemed to influence much some polarized cirri in the south.* 

 Temp. 37°, Bar. 30.07. 



25th November. — A lunar, halo was seen this night, and a 



• " A Paris, l'aiguille des variations diurnes commenga a sortir de ses 

 limites habituelles le 22 Noverobre all heures du soir. Le lendemain 

 2.J, a 8 heures du matin, son extremite' nord se trouvait a l'occident de sa 

 position moyenne de plus de 3'. Le reste de la journee sa marche fut tres 

 irregulier." — Annates de Chimie, as formerly quoted. 



