178 Aurora Borealis. 



riable with respect to the magnetic meridian. Meanwhile, the twi- 

 light of the northern sky had moved slowly southward, its boundary 

 spanning the firmament from west to east in a well defined zone, until 

 it left only a segment of the southern hemisphere, about 30 degrees 

 in altitude. This portion of the heavens, thrown as it was into stri- 

 king contrast with the illuminated parts of the sky appeared of a 

 dark shite color, and exhibited the interesting spectacle of stars 

 seeming to shine brightly through a stratum of black clouds. 



These phenomena played off various interesting evolutions, until 

 fifteen minutes after 10 o'clock ;* when suddenly the meteor rallied 

 all its forces. Innumerable spindles, of silvery lustre, darted from 

 the crimson folds of light that hung around the sky, and all pointed 

 towards the common focus ; and sheets of a thin vapor of mingled 

 white and red, flowed over these, and wreathed themselves around 

 the same point in wavy folds. A universal stillness reigned ; and 

 the ground itself, now covered with snow, which exhibited a delicate 

 rosy tint, contributed to enhance the beauty of the scene. It will be 

 obvious, also, to one that reflects on the position of the principal con- 

 stellations, at that time, that a large portion of all the brightest of the 

 fixed stars, were assembled on the spot. Sirius and Procyon, 

 Castor and Pollux, Capella and Aldebaran, were arranged around 

 the field in striking array, along with Jupiter and Mars, which chan- 

 ced to be present on the occasion, and both at the period of their 

 greatest splendor. 



So delicate was the auroral covering that the light of the stars was 

 but little obscured by it. The clusters of small stars in the head of 

 Orion, when most enveloped, was still distinctly visible ; and the two 

 planets appeared through a dense mass of red vapor with seemingly 

 augmented splendor. Mars, especially, seemed pecuharly in his 

 element. In these various attributes of grandeur and beauty, the 

 present greatly exceeded all former exhibitions of the aurora ; but 

 there were wanting the auroral waves, or Merry Dancers, which 

 made so conspicuous a figure in the great display of November, 1835. 



Although the moon was shining in the east, and but little past the 

 fuU, yet the distinctness of the auroral lights seemed scarcely im- 

 paired by it. This is remarkable : perhaps there is not more than 

 one instance on record, when so splendid an exhibition of the aurora 

 was witnessed in the presence of so full a moon. 



* It appears from the observations made by Prof. Dewey, at Rochester, N. Y., 

 that this return of the aurora was about an hoiu' earlier there than here. 



