Aurora Borealis of November 14, 1837. 269 



(mean time) the heavens began to assume a fiery appearance. 

 Within ten minutes, the whole clouded hemisphere shone with a 

 brilliant red light. The snow on the ground reflected a fine rosy 

 tint, and greatly enhanced the glory of the scene. The auroral 

 flush overspread all parts of the sky almost instantaneously ; yet 

 there is some reason to believe that it started mainly from a spot 

 near the W. N. W. as did the great aurora of Jan. 25, 183T. In 

 a few minutes the hght began to fade, and within a half hour, 

 the exhibition ended. During the v/hole display, the clouds pre- 

 vented our seeing even a single streamer. 



" After the first fit was over, and during the remainder of the 

 evening, the view of the heavens was much obscured by clouds. 

 There was undoubtedly a return, partially observable here be- 

 tween nine and ten ; but it seems to have been inferior to the 

 previous display." 



Had there been no farther visible indications of auroral action, 

 however, Mr. Herrick would still have inferred the existence of 

 a very powerful aurora, from the violent agitation of the magnetic 

 needle during the evening. His observations on this instrument 

 were continued for several hours. They were made with the 

 assistance of Mr. A. B. Haile, of Yale College. The experience 

 and accuracy of both these gentlemen in observations of this na- 

 ture, are well known. Mr. Herrick remarks : " The needle was 

 more disturbed between 6 and 10 P. M., than I ever before knew 

 it to be during an aurora. It often moved thirty minutes in three 

 seconds of time. Its entire range was nearly six degrees ! At 

 6h. 26m. it stood at 3° 10^ west, and at 9h. 10m. at 9° 7' west. 

 Its mean position in its present situation and at the present time, 

 is 5° 50' west." 



The number of magnetic observations made by Messrs. Her- 

 rick and Haile during the evening, amounted to seventy six. An 

 interval of nearly an hour and a half occurred, from 7h. 45m. till 

 9h. 9m., during which no observations were made. All visible 

 indications of an aurora had at that time disappeared ; and the 

 oscillations of the needle had become so much less remarkable, 

 that it was not considered important any longer to watch them. 

 It was, therefore, with no little surprise, that the observers, on re- 

 turning to their post at a few minutes past nine, found the varia- 

 tion to be nearly two and half degrees greater than the mean. 

 The following is the entire table of their observations. 



