270 



Aurora Borealis of November 14, 1837. 



Observations on the magnetic needle at New Haven, (Conn.) during the 

 great Aurora Borealis of Tuesday, Nov. 14, 1837 ; by E. C. Herrick 

 and A. B. Haile. 



[The instrument employed was the variation compass, described by Professor 

 Loomis, at p. 221, vol. xxx. of this Journal. It is not strictly on the meridian ; 

 but the usual position of the needle at this period, at its station in the room, at 

 this hour of night, is about 5° 50' west. The next morning (loth) from 7 to 9, the 

 needle was at its usual place.] 



The foregoing table will be examined with interest. It corres- 

 ponds with the results of numerous observations made by the 

 same gentlemen on other occasions, in shewing that the influence 

 of the Aurora Borealis upon the magnetic needle is not uniform in 

 producing a deflection in the same direction. In the London Phi- 

 losophical Transactions, for 1832, Mr. Faraday has demonstrated 

 the fact of a necessary tendency of electricity from the equator 

 of the earth towards the poles, in consequence of the diurnal rota- 

 tion. Without an escape of the electric fluid from the northern 

 latitudes, it is obvious that such a tendency, however great, would 

 be a tendency only ; without producing any actual flow of elec- 



* Splendor fading. 



f Going east rapidly. 



X Going west rapidly. 



