96 Notice of the late Aurora Borealis. 



Phenomena similar to this have been observed heretofore. 

 The London Philosophical Magazine, describes three — one 

 of which occurred on the 11th September, 1814, the second 

 on the 24th of September, 1816, the third on the 17th of 

 October, 1819. The circumstances attending them, were 

 generally similar to that of August last. 



In the second volume of the memoirs of the American 

 Academy of Arts and Sciences, an account of a similar phe- 

 nomenon which occurred on the 27th of March, 1781, is giv- 

 en by Caleb Gannet, Esq. F. A. A. It differed from the 

 last only as to the point from which it arose, which was the 

 east instead of N. W. 



Captain Parry, on his third voyage for the discovery of a 

 northwest passage, made a number of interesting observa- 

 tions of the aurora, while at Port Bowen, lat. 73°, 15', be- 

 tween October, 1824, and March, 1825. On his return voy- 

 age in September, 1825, the light of the aurora was for sev- 

 eral nights so strong and permanent, as to throw the shadow 

 of objects on the deck. His journal says, 



" The next brilliant display, however, of this beautiful phe- 

 nomenon which we now witnessed, and which far surpassed any 

 thing of the kind observed at Port Bowen, occurred on the night 

 of the 24th of September, in latitude 58 1-2 degrees, longitude 

 44 1-2 degrees. It first appeared in a (true) east direction, in 

 detached masses, like luminous clouds of yellow sulphur colored 

 light, about three degrees above the horizon. When this ap- 

 pearance had continued for about an hour, it began, at 9, P. M. 

 to spread upwards, and gradually extended itself into a narrow 

 band of light, passing through the zenith, and again downwards 

 to the western horizon. Soon after this, the streams of light 

 seemed no longer to emanate from the eastward, but from a fix- 

 ed point about one degree above the horizon, on a true west 

 bearing. From this point, as from the narrow point of a funnel, 

 streams of light resembling brightly illuminated vapor or smoke, 

 appeared to be incessantly issuing, increasing in breadth as they 

 proceeded, and darting with inconceivable velocity, such as the 

 eye could scarcely keep pace with, upwards towards the zenith, 

 and in the same easterly direction, which the former arch had 

 taken." 



The journal mentions that the general color of the light, 

 was yellow, with an occasional orange and greenish tinge, 

 and that the intensity of the light, while it lasted, which was 

 for about three quarters of an hour, was not inferior to that 

 of the moon when full. 



