PHENOMENA OF AN AURORA. 



545 



Phenomena of an Aurora., 



Which appeared at Woolwich, ten miles east of London, and at Gosport 

 Observatory, 75 miles S. W. of London, on 7th of January, 1831. 

 (See Phil. Mag., vol. 9.) 



Hour. 



G<f sport 

 Time. 



GOSPORT. 



WOOLWICH. 



Hours. Mia. 



5 15 



5 30 



Arch of refulgent light 10 

 high. 



Bright flame-colored, rain- 

 bow-like arch, 3 or 4 broad, 

 rose from the upper edge of au- 

 rora to the height of 35, and. 



Arch of faint yellowish light, 

 not more than 10 high, dense 

 black area below it to horizon. 



As above, only a little higher 

 arid more brilliant and darting, 

 >ccasional faint flashes from a 

 bright and apparently steady 



5 35 



5 40 



5 45 

 6 



6 



6 5 

 6 30 



at the same time, a beautiful luminous curve 



rainbow-like arch formed 10 



south of the zenith, by streamers 



suddenly springing up from the 



N. E. by E. and W.by S. points 



of horizon, meeting. 



This arch began to break up 

 nto patches and pass off to the 

 south, continuing in sight 15 

 minutes. 



Another arch, in all respects 

 ike the former, formed in the 

 same place. 



This last bow had moved 

 south to 45 altitude. 



It was near the S. horizon 

 lardly visible. 



Bow over the aurora much 

 ncreased in altitude and nearly 

 effaced. 



A great many colored col- 

 imns of light rose from the 

 N. E. and N. W., and passed 

 he zenith, and the aurora sunk 

 o wards the horizon. 



Aurora increased in altitude 



As before. 



As before. 



As before. 

 As before. 

 As before. 



As before, rising a little. 



A second, and apparently 



ind vivid corruscations radiated concentric arch, of bright light, 

 rom every part of the arch, and made its appearance 10aliove 

 on mingling with each other, the auroral arch,or20higli,nnd 

 ormed wide columns which soft lambent streamers played 

 were so grand with crimson from the lower even beyond the 

 ints as to astonish every spec- upper, but not so as to obliter- 

 alor. ale the distinction of the two. 



Between The aurora had spread over As before, only the arch 

 7&8 jtwo thirds of the heavens, when rose to 24, and the auroral 

 69 



