Aurora Borealis of November 14, 1837. 2T7 



N. or S., no vestige of the Aurora was visible. At 5h. 58m. the 

 moon appeared above the horizon, and as it was only two days past 

 the full, its beams soon surpassed in brightness those of the Aurora, 

 and farther observation of these last became impossible." 



It is to be regretted that Mr. Haskins did not repeat his obser- 

 vations at a later hour, as it is hardly to be doubted that the sub- 

 sequent displays observed at Geneva, and at Hudson, as well as 

 elsewhere, would have been at least partially visible to him. Mr. 

 Haskins says, that he was unable to detect any disturbance of the 

 magnetic needle. The instrument used, was a common survey- 

 or's compass ; which was, moreover, compared with another, both 

 being considered good instruments. The apparatus was, undoubt- 

 edly, not sufficiently delicate ; but it is a fact which has led to 

 much discussion, that the needle is often greatly disturbed in one 

 place by an Aurora, when in another, it is scarcely affected at all. 

 Thus it is stated in the second Report of the British Association, 

 for 1832, that during the great Aurora of the 7th Jan., 1831, M. 

 Arago observed the magnetic needle to be powerfully affected, 

 while Mr. Sturgeon of Woolwich, could not observe it at all. 



At the Western Reserve College, Hudson, Ohio, some of the 

 earlier displays of the phenomenon were noticed by Professor Elias 

 Loomis, but the exhibition at nine o'clock, and after, (in New 

 York,) was concealed by clouds. Professor Loomis says : " This 

 evening at about five minutes after six, I observed the commence- 

 ment of an Aurora. A small pile of light, of a reddish hue, lay 

 upon the horizon, in a direction a little north of N. W., and a 

 similar pile in the E. N. E. Between these there was a low faint 

 cloud, bounded by a somewhat ill defined arch, rising in its cen- 

 tre about ten degrees from the horizon. Above this arch, a dif- 

 fused light streamed upward toward the zenith, in one or two 

 places, being somewhat more condensed, forming beams. This 

 light increased rapidly in brightness, it became of a more decided 

 crimson color, extended up to the zenith, and at the same time, 

 light began to shoot up from several points in the east, and some- 

 what south of east. At a quarter past six, mean time, a pretty reg- 

 ular arch was formed, extending from the above-mentioned pile 

 of light in the N. W., a little north of alpha Lyrae, south of 

 alpha Cygnij about half way between Markab and Scheat, and 

 about 15° S. of alpha Anetis. This arch was rather irregular in 

 its outline, and had a slightly crimson color. In about five min- 



