The Auroea Boeealis. 



Ixxix 



170. The detailed notes on the auroree seen till January 1847, will be found in the volumes referred to in the 

 last column of the pi-evious Table : in order to render the series more complete, the following additional notes 

 for the year 1847-9 are given. Gbttingen mean time has been employed, as in the former volumes, in order 

 that the notes might be comparable with the magnetic observations. 



Additional Notes on Aukorje Boreales seen in 1847-9. 



Gbtt. M. T. 

 1847. d. h. 

 March 19 8 



10 



Sept. 29 



Oct. 24 11 



Nov. 19 



40™. Aurora of irregular streamers converging to the anti-dip. 44™. A bright beam from NW., 

 through a and |8 Aurigae ; persistent for some time. Masses of light at about 10° altitude. The 

 aurora terminates about NE. Cirro-cumulo-strati spreading from NW. 47™. Diifuse and hazy-like 

 aurora to SW. ; patches 20° south of zenith, to SE., &c. 50™. Arch about 10° altitude, but not 

 very distinct, the moon appears as if in a cirrous haze. 52'". Patch reaching from zenith to 10° over 

 NNW., becomes a beam immediately. Aurora becoming less bright. The clouds during aurora 

 often assume a curious brushy appearance. 56". Sky nearly covered with auroral haze, which is less 

 bright to S., and more patchy. 



20™. Faint auroral arch nearly complete, 20° altitude from S. 39™, Sky covered with patches of hazy 

 or milky aurora, both to N. and S. 



15™. Milky aurora over the sky. 



This aurora appeared in amorphous patches, jets, pulsations, and in bands, like portions of arches at 

 9"^ 9>". 



25™. Aurora not bright, arches with pulsations ; broad pencilly patches ; about 30" a long and broad 

 streamer reached from near the horizon to near the zenith, passing through the body of the Great Bear. 

 At 10^ 40™, the aurora was diifuse, extending to an altitude of 70° or 80°. 



The corona very beautiful and perfect at this time, found by carefully examining the position of the 

 centre of the corona with reference to certain stars that it was S. 23^ E., with an altitude of 70|^°. 

 Bright pencils and streamers seen tiU near 14'' ; lunar halo at 13*^ 6™. 



Fine coloured aurora ; made a few notes about 9*' p.m. as follows : — 



58^™. White patches in Cygnus ; a very persistent red patch on the Pointers, it has moved perhaps 2° 

 eastwards since 52|™ ; about 48" very irregular white streamers on N. horizon. 



1^-™. Bright-red streamers east of Pointers. 2|". White patch to WSW. 31™. Streaky aurora and 

 streamers ; air very clear ; stars very distinctly seen and well defined ; clouds growing and dissolv- 

 ing. 4|^". Patch 240° azimuth, 13° altitude. 22-^'". Corona; estimated the position of the centre 

 among the stars, and found it to be S. 25° E. altitude 71°. Considerable magnetic disturbance. 



50™. Arch of aurora passed through zenith, and at 8^ 55"^, the arch had reached southwards till its south 

 edge had an altitude of 42°, as found from the position of the arch among the stars : the sky soon 

 clouded over. The aurora was observed about 7^ 20™ ; about 8^ 50™ it was very brilliant with green, 

 white, and red streamers. Several flashes of lightning seen about 10'^. Arches to the south always 

 very faint. 



13™. Very cloudy. Total eclipse of moon at midnight, when there was a very fine arch of aurora, made 

 up of brushes, very bright to N W. by N. Clouds of the growing and dissolving species so common 

 during aurorae. 



25™. Sky quite clear, excepting near the horizon, stars bright. Rapidly pulsating and vivid aurora first 

 seen ; pulsations seen in the space between NW. and NNW., clouds to N. and W. Slight rain 

 falling, though no cloud near the zenith, and not a breath of wind. About 28™, cirro-cumulous 

 scud (the growing and dissolving cloud) came moving up from W. ; wondered whether the rain would 

 cease or increase when the cloud reached the zenith ; found that the rain ceased immediately when 

 the cloud crossed the zenith ; the pulsations of the aurora at the same time became less frequent ; 

 at first they reached from an altitude of 30° to past the zenith. After a portion of the cloud had 

 passed the zenith, leaving a little sky, a few drops of rain were again felt, but the cloud quickly grew 

 over the zenith again. The usual growing cloud obscuring the moon becoming more general and 

 denser. Pulsations much less at 32". 



Faint aurora to NNW., mostly covered with thin hazy cloud, radiating from that point to an alti- 

 tude of 45°. 



10™. The sky, where free from clouds, has a reddish tinge, as if from aurora. About 8^ the sky still 

 nearly covered with clouds ; beams seen in different parts of the sky, some reaching nearly to zenith, 

 a bright mass of aurora with streamers to W., little or no aurora to N. 9'* 10". Sky nearly clear, 

 faint difi"use auroral light over most of the sky. About 10'^ 20", sky nearly clear, brilliant corona, 

 beams rising from all parts of the sky ; mostly white ; rapid pulsations. Clouds speedily covered the 

 sky. About 1 1^ 0", a vivid flash of lightning followed in about two seconds by a peal of thunder ; 

 heavy shower of hail or snow. The magnets considerably disturbed about 7''. 



Aurorae were seen at Inveresk by Mr Milne's gardener on the following days, when none were ob- 

 served at Makerstoun, viz., AprU 24 ; July 1, 2, 23 ; and August 8, 1848. 



M.\G. AND MET. OBS, 1845 AND 1846. M 



! 1848. 



I Feb. 22 8 



March 19 8 



21 12 



24 10 



Oct. 18 7 



