Miscellaneous Intelligence. 127 



10 h 2 m s Bow distinct and brilliant ; narrower than before. 



2 30 Eastern end begins to disappear. 



4 Bow irregular in its curvature ; serpentine. 



5 Gamma Geminorum in the middle of the bow. 



6 Bow breaking up into oblique beams. Tall streamers in 



the North. 



8 Bow nearly extinct. Northern sky very light. 



The observations were taken with a lever watch, which, at lOh. 

 25m. was compared with a chronometer whose error was known by re- 

 cent transit observations. The error of the watch thus ascertained, 

 has been applied to the observations, so that they are given above in 

 New Haven mean solar time. 



The base line is not so long as could be wished, yet most of the cir- 

 cumstances were uncommonly favorable, and on looking at numerous 

 similar cases I find none which seems to furnish more reliable ground 

 for computation. Making liberal allowances for uncertainties of all 

 sorts, we may be quite sure of the result stated at p. 145 of vol. iv, viz. 

 that this arch or bow u was elevated not less than 100 miles nor more 

 than 120 above the earth's surface" 



This result confirms the general conclusion obtained by Dalton (Philos. 

 Trans. Roy. Soc, 1828, p. 302,) that rainbow-like auroral arches 

 have an elevation of about one hundred miles above the earth's sur- 

 face. It is however quite probable that they differ in height, and that 

 more are above than below the altitude assigned by Dalton. It is not 

 unlikely that they rise as they travel South, but this has never been 

 proved. 



Not being able from my position to see the extremities of the bow of 

 April 7, I have no satisfactory means of determining its extent. It 

 w as certainly not less than a thousand miles in length, and from ten to 

 fifteen miles in width. Its motion Southward was probably about three 

 miles a minute. E. C. Herrick. 



3. Aurora Boreal is, Nov. 17, 1848.— On Friday night, Nov. 17, 1848, 

 an auroral display of extraordinary magnificence was witnessed 

 wherever the sky was clear throughout the northern portion of our 

 country. At New Haven, where the sky was overcast, the red light 

 was seen through the clouds, and the snow on the earth faintly reflected 

 & rosy hue. The accounts received from various quarters lead us to 

 infer that this exhibition was fully equal to any which is ever seen in 

 this region. 



Subsequent to the 17th, the Aurora was visible here every night to 

 the 28th inclusive, except the 20ih and 24th, (and the latter night was 



c| oudy ;) being sometimes conspicuous, and at other times very faint. 

 , It is reported in the newspapers that the Aurora Borealis of the 17th 

 jnst., was seen at Principe, in Cuba, lat. 21° N., and on the 26th at 

 Neuvitas, lat. 2l£° N. It is said to have been remarkably brilliant in 

 the N.E. for several hours; — whether on both occasions, or only on 

 ^e former, is not stated. This is a rare phenomenon in that latitude. 



By Scotch and English papers, we learn that an Aurora of unusual 

 splendor was also seen in Britain on the evening of the 17th. 



E. C. H. 





