TRANSIT OF MEaCURY. 13 



(22.) Jan. 1, 1783. I made a number of delicate obferva- 

 tions this night, notwithftanding, at four o'clock in the morn- 

 ing, my ink was frozen in the room; and, at about five o'clock, 

 a 20-feet fpeculum, in the tube, went off with a crack, and 

 broke into two pieces. On looking at Fahrenheit's thermo- 

 meter, I found it to ftand at 11". 



(23.) May 6, 1783. It freezes, and in the telefcope the 

 Cars feem to dance extremely. 



Hoar-frofi. 



(24.) Nov. 6, 1782. There is a thick hoar-froft; yet I fee Hoar froft ; its 

 extremely well. It feems to enlarge the diameters of (he liars ; ^^q.^^^^ 

 but, as I lee the minuteft double ftars well, the apparent en- 

 largement of the diameters muft be a deception. 



(23.) Dec. 22, 1782. There is a ftrong hoar-fro ft gather- 

 ing upon the tubes of my telefcopes ; but I lee very well. 



Dry Air. 



(26.) Dec. 21, 1782. The tube of my telefcope is dry, Dry air inimical 



and I do not fee well. ^° ^'ff^ ^''^''^^ 



by telelcupes. 

 (27.) April 30, 17S3. The itars are extremely tremulous 



and confufed j the outfide of the tube of my telefcope is quite 



dry. 



Northern Lights. 



(28.) Sept. 25, 1781. There are very llrong northern Northern lights 



lights; their flaOiing does not feem to interfere with tele- .'^'' "^^'fr™ *? 

 ° , ° impede vifion by 



fcopic vifion; but all objeds appear tremulous, and indif- telefcopes. 

 ferently defined. 



(29.) Aug. 30, 1782. There are very bri^^ht northern 

 lights, in brOad arches, with white llreaks ; yet I fee perfc6tly 

 well. 



(30.) March 26, 1783. An Aurora Borealis is fo bright, 

 that ») Herculis, which it covers, can hardly be feen ; yet, in 

 the telefcope, and with a power of 460, I find no difference. 

 J compared the ftar with y Coronse, which was in a bright 

 part of the heavens, and in the telefcope they appeared nearly 

 alike. I fufpefled »i Herculis tc be fomewhat more tinged 

 with red than it Ihould be ; and examined it afterwards, when 

 clear of the Aurora : it \yas indeed lefs red ; but, as it had 

 gained more altitude, the experiment was not decifive. 



Windy 



