20 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OE SCIENCE, 



that nearly the entire celestial vault was filled with corruscation. This unparalled 

 display of auroral activity was still in motion at 4:30 A. M., when the solar rays 

 obscured the scene. The sun-spot maximum, occurs at periods of eleven years, 

 and we are now in the midst of one of these ; but it is now known that auroral 

 displays and secular disturbance of the earth's currents of magnetic energy, as 

 indicated by diurnal oscillation in decUnation of the needle, also have eleven years 

 as their periodic time of maximum,' and behold both epochs are coincident with 

 the maximum solar period of upheaval. When the sun's surface is in agitation 

 we have auroras and large vibration in the magnetograph following terrestrial 

 magnetic storms. 



A remarkable solar phenomenon occurred on the sun Sept. i, 1869, and was 

 seen by two observers at the Kew Observatory in England. Two jets of the most 

 brilliant light burst from the solar surface just preceeding a large spot. These 

 remained in view five minutes and moved 33,700 miles. The time of the occur- 

 rence was noted, and then the self registering magnetographs were examined, 

 and, to the astronomer's surprise, were found to have been in great agitation at 

 the precise time of the outburst, showing that magnetic force, whatever it may 

 be, does not require time to traverse the distance of the sun, while light con- 

 sumes eight minutes in the journey. In sixteen hours the earth suffered a magnetic 

 disturbance, telegraph offices were set on fire, and an aurora was seen in the even- 

 ing. [See Chambers' Astronomy, pp. 22-3.] These facts show that there ex- 

 ists a magnetic relation between the sun and earth, whose nature cannot be sur- 

 mised, and auroral displays are doubtless electric or magnetic; yet this branch of 

 science is so barren of facts that an opinion, even, on these topics cannot be 

 formed. 



The perpetual flashing of the aurora, Sunday night, was its most noteworthy 

 feature, and seemed to clearly indicate its electric character. Polariscopic re- 

 search into the nature of the light might be of service, while it is to be hoped 

 spectra of the last display were closely examined. Study \^%s made of auroral 

 phenomena during the last maximum, 1870-3, but spectroscopes of such 

 power were not then in use as may now be obtained. Anybody with a smoked 

 glass can now see the great spot on the sun with no other optical aid. It will be 

 well to deposit the carbon film on the glass with varying degrees of thickness. 

 The solar turbulence, the aurora, and Well's comet are making lively astronom- 

 ical times 



THE AURORA OF APRIL \b, 1882. 



NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS BY A. W. BROWNE, OF THE U. S. SIGNAL SERVICE, 

 LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS. 



The Aurora Polaris is a luminous appearance frequently seen near the hori- 

 zon as a diffuse Ught like the morning twiiight, whence the tide " aurora." In 

 this hemisphere it is usually termed " Aurora Borealis," on account of being seen 



