ON LUMINOUS PHENOMENA, gj 



As Mr. Nicholson *, teacher of the mathematics at Wake- Appearances 

 field in Yorkshire, was returning on horseback on the 1st of sembmiTthT 

 March, 1774, from CnftoM, a village near Wakefield, he aurora borealis 

 saw a storm approachuig in the north-west quarter, from 

 •which the wind sat. It was then about half past six in the 

 evening, and the weather was so dark and overcast, that it 

 was with difficulty he could find his way. When the storm 

 began, he was agreeably surprised to observe a flame of light 

 dancing on each ear of his horse, and several others on the 

 end of his stick, which had a brass ferule notched with using. 

 These appearances continued till he took shelter in a turn- 

 pike-house. 



After having continued about twenty minutes the storm & falling stars. 

 abated, and the clouds divided, leaving the northern region 

 very clear; except, that about ten degrees high there was a 

 thick cloud, which seemed to throw out large and exceed- 

 ingly beautiful streams of light, resembling an aurora bo- 

 realis, towards another cloud that was passing over it ; and 

 every now and then there appeared to fall to it such meteors Do not these 



as are called falling stars. These appearances continued till fhowtwofluidit 



' like my sparks' 



he came to Wakefield, but no thunder was heard. 



About nine o'clock a large ball of fire passed under the 

 zenith, towards the south-east part of the horizon ; and Mr. 

 Nicholson was informed, that a light was observed on the 

 weathercock of Wakefield spire, which is about 240 feet 

 high, all the time the storm continued. 



The present state of our knowledge respecting fire balls, Treatise of Sir 



with observations, is exhibited in an excellent treatise writ- y'^^""^^* ^^S- 



den. 

 ten by Dr. Blagdenf, now Sir Charles, on occasion of the 



fiery meteors which were seen in the year 1783. The great Great fire ball 

 meteor of Aug. 18, in that year, had the appearance of a "^ ^^^^* 

 luminous ball, which rose in the N. N. W. nearly round, 

 became elliptical, and gradually assumed a tail as it ascend- 

 ed, and in a certain part of its course seemed to vmdergo a 

 remarkable change, compared to bursting; after which it 

 proceeded no longer as an entire mass, but was apparently 

 divided into a great number or a cluster of balls, some larger / 



than the others, and all carrying a tail, or leaving a train 



* Ph. Trans, vol. 64, p. S51. f Ibid, toL 74, p. 201. 



behind. 



