282 Aurora Borealis of November 14, 1837. 



Aurora was no longer visible." It is probable that the clouds of 

 which he previously speaks, obstructed the view. The time at 

 Alexandria is about 16J minutes earlier than at New Haven. 



At Richmond, Va., the magnificent corona formed between 

 eight and nine o'clock, was observed by many persons, but from 

 that place, no statements in detail have reached us. 



We come now to two communications from points much far- 

 ther south than any of the preceding, and situated in latitudes so 

 low, that the occurrence of an Aurora Borealis is there a phenom- 

 enon of exceedingly rare occurrence. The first of these is a let- 

 ter to Mr. Herrick, from Mr. W. A. Sparks of Society Hill, S. 

 C, in latitude 34° 35' N., nearly. Mr. Sparks observes : " My 

 attention was directed towards the north early in the evening, 

 (about six o'clock,) by an unusual luminous appearance, and after 

 gazing intently for a while, I distinctly recognized what I had 

 long and earnestly sought for without success, a " bank or store- 

 house" of auroral vapor. * * # When I first ob- 

 served it. a space of about 15° above the horizon was strongly 

 marked by a pale white light, above which the crimson hue pe- 

 culiar to this phenomenon began to be distinctly visible. At this 

 time, the greatest degree of brightness was to the east of north, 

 assuming no very definite form, but extending, as well as I could 

 judge, about eight or ten degrees east, and reaching in height to 

 the constellation of Cassiopeia's chair, the lower portion of which 

 was enveloped in its reddening glow." The action then subsided, 

 but at about eight o'clock, another bright crimson column ascend- 

 ed due north, attaining an' altitude some degrees greater than that 

 of the polar star, and maintaining its place about half an hour. Af- 

 ter this had faded away, no return was observed till about half 

 past nine, when Mr. Sparks observes, "I again perceived another 

 broad arch of crimson light, ascending several degrees to the 

 west of north. The altitude of this latter column was greater 

 than that of any of the preceding, but I regret to say that my 

 ardent desires to see it ' scan the blue vault, and in the zenith 

 glow,' were not fully realized." Time at Society Hill is about 

 27^m. earlier than at New Haven. At the moment of this last 

 mentioned return observed by Mr. Sparks, the crisis of the action 

 in our longitude was past. 



The other communication just alluded to, is a letter addressed 

 to Professor Silliman by Mr. J. Darby of Culloden, Geo., latitude 



