Notes to the Extra Observations of Magnetometers, October 20 — November 24, 1844. 159 



NOTES ON THE AURORA BOREALES. 



d. h. m. 

 Oct. 20 15 6. Aurora now very faint and broken up ; slight pulsations and very faint streamers. 41 m . Arch very 

 low ; faint streamers at azimuths 306° and 10°, and very faint ones between. 55 m . Faint streamers 

 to N 4° W. 



16 5. No streamers. 20™. Aurora bright, rapid pulsations, and waves upwards. 25 m . Quick pulsations ; 



streamers to NNW. 32 m . Brilliant aurora ; rapid pulsations from below upwards ; a dense mass 

 of very brilliant streamers about this time from N by E. to about NW by N., some of them reach- 

 ing to an altitude of 50° ; rapid pulsations upwards. The streamers terminate abruptly at N by E. 

 40 m . At one time the streamers rose like a comb from the crown of an arch, the interior of which 

 was dark, but in general they sprung from below the horizon. 45™. Vivid pencils springing from 

 the horizon to an altitude of 10°, with a wavy or undulatory motion ; rather rose-coloured. 52™. 

 Vivid pencils to N by E. ; blank space due N. 



17 4. Aurora fainter, amplitude 35°, the lower portion of the aurora assuming a little of the form of the arch ; 



three or four shooting stars seen. 7 m . Aurora in patches, pulsations with faint streamers. l7 m - 

 Two bright pencils, altitude 35°, close together due north ; quick pulsations ; aurora getting brighter ; 

 very vivid pencils due north. 18™. Moving east a little, pulsation to NW. 23 m . Two falling stars 

 seen. Frequent pulsations about NNW. ; two streamers moved to about NNE. ; pencils visible to 

 near the west point of the horizon. 25™. Bright pencils to NNW., altitude 30°. 30™. Aurora 

 brighter, pencils rising from aflat arch, 3° of clear sky beneath ; pencils extending to an altitude of 

 15° or 20°. 35™. Arch more diffuse, splitting into two branches to NE., to nearly which point 

 pencils extend ; shooting star to NE., among and in the direction of the streamers ; all the falling 

 stars seen this evening, move in nearly the direction of the streamers. 40™. Nearly as before, 

 pencils and aurora fainter. 54™. Aurora much fainter. 



18 1. Faint streamers reaching to Polaris ; broad bright streamer to NNW., altitude 10°. 10™. Streamers 



still visible ; twilight ; falling star to north. 

 Nov. 11 6 45. Faint light seen over a bank of clouds to north. 



7 15. The aurora has broken into a double arch, the upper one extending from the summit, 10° altitude, 



at NNW. to about WNW. 22™. An amorphous mass of light, 6° altitude, to NW. 24™. Streamers 

 to N | E., faint coruscations. 27™. Vivid to NW. ; a bright patch formed due north, about 

 12° altitude, the highest point of the arch about NW by N. A bank of cirro-stratus to N. and 

 NNE. obscures the aurora there. 30™. A complete arch about 11° altitude, the arch now extend- 

 ing to almost west point of horizon. 32™-38™. Aurora faint. 41™. Faint streamers to NW by 

 N. rising from the horizon, the arch gone. 43™. Streamer to N by E. 47™. Aurora now nearly 

 obscured by the bank of cirro-stratus ; streamers to NW. 49™. A shooting-star moving with a 

 zig-zag motion from y Ursse Majoris down to the horizon. 53™. Streamer to NNE. ; auroral light 

 again rising above the clouds. 59™. Faint streamers due north. 



8 0. A shooting-star moved very slowly for 10°, through the stars in the head of the Great Bear towards 

 the NNE. point of the horizon. 15™. Faint streamers to NNE. 18™. Auroral bank rather bright 

 to NW. 50™. Aurora still visible, but faint. 



Aurora still visible. ll h 40™. Auroral light still visible. 



Aurora still visible. A shooting-star fell vertically from an altitude of 20° above NNW. point of 



horizon. 13 h 10™. Mass of clouds to north, about 10° altitude. Auroral light seen above them. 



13 h 25™. Sky covered with clouds and haze, excepting about 0'5 to south. 

 Auroral light seen between patches of clouds to north ? 

 Very faint auroral light ? 

 Diffuse auroral arch seen. 38™. Auroral arch 8° altitude, flickering. 41™-42™. Bright and varying 



auroral patches, especially to NNW. ; streamers to north ; clouds hide a portion. 48™. Bright 



auroral patch to N by E., altitude 10°. 55™. Arch 5° altitude, not bright. 

 Aurora seen between scud and cirro-stratus. 23™. Overcast. 

 Sky clear, moon setting, no aurora visible. 

 Very faint auroral light to N. and E. 

 See an account, among the Additional Meteorological Notes, of remarkable varying streaks, resembling 



auroral bands, which were observed after a magnetic disturbance of this date. Similar streaks were 



also observed Nov. 24 d 8 h . 

 Star shot from zenith to the west. 45™. Portion of an ill-formed auroral arch, extending from W \ 



N. to NNW., where its altitude was 10°, stopping at that point. It was first noticed at this time, grew 



faint, reappeared with greater brightness and breadth, 5° at the broadest, disappeared about 55™ ? 



and was not seen afterwards. The moon was totally eclipsed at this time and appeared quite red. 



At 53™ a star shot from 40° altitude due SSW. 







9 30 







12 20. 



Nov. 



12 



13 35 



Nov. 



13 



10 10 



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16 



10 35 



11 0. 



Nov. 



17 



12 30 



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18 



9 5 



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23 



8 



Nov. 



24 



12 40 



