Aurora BoreaUs of September 3j 1839. 263 



for a considerable time, as if caused by the gentle flow of a fluid 

 on its surface. The first cohimn from the N. was evidently either 

 in or very near the plane of the magnetic meridian. The banks 

 continued to increase along the horizon until 9 P. M., when they 

 extended from the E. to within 10° of the W. The extremities 

 were not bright, but had the usual appearance of light clouds. 

 At this most westerly point, a shower had arisen about sunset 

 which had been driven toward the S. W., and during the Aurora 

 flashes of lightning at a great distance were occasionally seen. 

 These became less and less vivid, the storm being driven away 

 by a N. E. wind, blowing at the rate of three miles, and increasing 

 to about six miles an hour during the phenomenon. The needle 

 (about 10 inches long, and very sensitive,) vibrated through an 

 arc of 1° 10', while the columns were apparent, and on the fol- 

 lowing morning it had rested in an intermediate position only 20' 

 W. of its greatest eastern limit during the evening. The plate 

 of an electrical machine, in an adjoining room, showed more than 

 usual activity, giving after two turns, pungent and loud sparks to 

 the knuckles three inches distant. The season has been exceed- 

 ingly dry since the middle of July. 



" Taking the direction of ray transit telescope, I found the 

 magnetic variation this day, (Sept. 7, 1839,) to be 5° 56' E." 



3. At New Orleans, La., (N. lat. 29° 58') the Auroral display 

 was quite conspicuous, and appeared so much like a large confla- 

 gration, that the fire engines were called out to extinguish the 

 flames. The altitude of the streamers is not mentioned. No 

 corona was probably formed at this place. Being desirous to as- 

 certain how far south a corona was visible, I made special inqui- 

 ries of a friend at Claiborne, Ala., (N. lat. 31^°) where the Au- 

 rora was very splendid, and learn that it could scarcely be said 

 that a corona was formed there, although several times the Auro- 

 ral columns were nearly united overhead. It is probable that a 

 corona might have been seen within a hundred miles north of this. 



4. Carlyle, III. (N. lat. 38^; W. Ion. 89^.) Prof John Locke 

 has published in the Daily Missouri Republican, St. Louis, Sept. 8, 

 1839, a description of this Aurora, from his own observations. 

 The display was of the most splendid character, and the point to 

 which the streamers converged was determined by him to coin- 

 cide exactly with that to which the dipping needle is there di- 

 rected. Dr. L. had a few days previous found the magnetic 



