TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 



63 



On a Solar Halo observed at Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, August 13, 1861. 



By H. W. Ckaavley. 



This day I witnessed, as well as all our household, a remarkable phenomenon. The 

 sun appeared as if in mourning. At twelve o'clock I first observed it. An imm ense 

 dark halo sun-oimded the sun, as dark as a thimder-cloud ; the outer edge of it was 

 iridescent, appearing like a circular rainbow. A ring of bright white light, of gi-e ater 

 diameter than the halo, intersected it, passing through the sim ; and two other rings 

 of the same sort, but fainter, of still larger diameter, intersected the first ring and 

 each other, in the manner I have attempted to show in the accompanying ske tch, 

 in which I have preserved, as nearly as I coidd judge, the relative proportions of the 

 halo and rings to each other and to the sun. It was a bright day, the sun blazing 

 directly overhead, out of a clear blue sky, but there were hard, electi-ic-looking cl ouds 

 in other parts of the sky ; and from these were drawn out long, attenuated, fl eecy, 

 ribbon-like appendages, which all took a cii-cular form, having the sun apparently 

 for a centre. The halo and rings firat appeared about an hour before noon, and con- 

 tinued as long after noon. Throughout the remainder of the day the clouds were 

 in circular tiers or ranges about the sun, which became obscured. The weather for 

 several days previouslv had been uncommonly cold and imsettled for the season, and 

 the clouds rushed confusedly in all directions against each other ; before which time 

 there had been a pi-otracted term of very hot and dry weather, thermometer ranarinff 

 from 80° to 90° in the shade. 



August 17. — The bad weather prevented my sending this letter over the water to 

 the post-office last post-day (ISth), there ha^dng been two days of a cold easte rly 

 storm of wind and rain following upon the before-described phenomenon, but to-day 

 and yesterday all bright and warm again. (Signed) H. W. Crawley. 



Appearance of the Sun with. Halo and Hitiffs at Noon, Aitgmt 13, 18G1. 



North 



Tlie smi appeared as dazzling as usual, and could not be ga/cd at steadily ; but the sun- 

 sliine on the ground and Burroundiug objects was fainter, or in some way differing from 

 its ordinary appearance. 



a. Iridescent margin of the dark lialo round the sun. h. Eing of wliite liglit passing 

 tlu-ougli the centre of the sun. c, d. Two fainter rings of light, of wliich the fiiterrupted 

 or broken parts nearest to tlie sun (/and g) appeared to converge toward the sun and lade 

 away. h. A node of light at the intersection of the three rings, k. This end terminated 

 here. m. Tliis end broken off, or faded away. 



(I had no instruments, and am not certain as to the magnitude of the halo and rings, nor 

 as to the centres of tlie rings c and d.) 



