342 



BEN NEVIS OBSERVATORY. — LOG-BOOK. 



[188G. 



seen at 5 h 7 m to W.S.W. Double corona (lunar) at 7 h ; 

 colours as in margin ; too variable to 

 Q^ een measure. At 8 h shadow of Ben Nevis seen 



Blue as a dark gap in rosy sky to N.W. At 16 h 



Red distinct bank of stratus fog on hills of 



White Mull. Very clear to eastward and south- 



eastward all afternoon. 



Nov. 21. — Thermometer box shifted at 3 h l. r ) m . At 4 h 

 faint double corona and portion of lunar fog-bow seen. 

 At ll 1 ' portion of halo (red inside) seen. Broken bits of 

 fog-bow down on Lochs Eil and Lochy in forenoon, but no 

 continuous layers. Hills round almost clear of snow. 



Nov. 23. — At 5 h and 6 b the dark part of the moon was 

 clearly seen (new moon on 25th). Through a telescope 

 the dark part looked light blue in colour, with large dark 

 spots on the moon's surface. Though the fog lay all 

 round up to about 4000 feet, no glories were formed on it, 

 only patches of confused colour were seen at times. This 

 evening the mist covered the top of the Ben, but so thinly 

 that the stars were clearly seen through it, yet distinct 

 drizzling rain fell. Faint aurora seen at night. 



Nov. 24. — The dark part of the moon was seen again 

 this morning similarly to yesterday. At 7 h 20 m long dark 

 gaps like streamers in eastern sky. The sun rose at about 

 gh j 2 m . Brown colour under sun at 9 h . 



Nov. 25. — Auroral arch (low down) seen at 23 h , with 

 faint streamers. 



Nov. 26. — Meteorite (from Andromeda 1) seen to west- 

 ward at h 2 m . 



Nov. 28. — Bright display of St Elmo's fire on lightning 

 rod and anemometers at midnight, heavy but dry and 

 hard snow falling at the time. 



Nov. 29. — St Elmo's fire on lightning rod at 5 h , snow 

 falling at the time. Thermometer box shifted at 9 h 20 m . 



Nov. 30.— Thermometer box shifted at 12 h 15 m . 



Dec. 4. — Faint misty lunar corona seen several times in 

 evening ; too fleeting to measure. 



Dec. 5. — Thermometer box shifted at 8 h 20 m . 



Dec. 6. — Thunder heard at 5 h 44 m . Earth-current in 

 telegraph cable about 10 s before the peal was heard. 



Dec. 7. —Thermometer box shifted at 4 h 15 m . At 4 h 

 the dry (No. 192671) was below its scale, and the tempera- 

 ture of wet was assumed to be also that of the dry. 



Dec. 8.' — No rain-gauge was out from 4 h to 10 h , as the 

 drift made it useless, but apparently no snow fell. At 6 h 

 and 7 h the wind was so strong that it was impossible to 

 go to the thermometer box. At 7 h Mr Rankin went out 

 at the tower door tied with a rope, but found himself 

 unable to stand. The fog crystals formed this morning 

 were very slightly brown in colour. At 20 h and 21 h 

 fleeting double coronas formed on scud. 



Dec. 10. — Thermometer box shifted at 22 h 20 m . 



Dec. 11.— Dry and wet bulbs shifted at 2 h 10 m . The 

 snow which fell at night was soft and heavy, and did not 

 drift. 



Dec. 13. — Faint afterglow observed at 16 h . Bright 

 single-arch aurora at 18' 1 . No streamers, and arch hazy 

 at its edges. Loose cum. -fog hanging about the hill all 

 day, and occasionally brushing the top. Sky very clear, 

 and deep blue in colour. 



Dec. 14. — Very thin cirro-stratus in sky most of the 

 day ; the sun shone through it, though not strongly enough 

 to record on the paper of the sunshine recorder. Portions 

 of lunar halo seen several times at night. 



Dec. 15. — Very squally, with back swirls at night. 

 Had to use jacketed lantern. No gauge was out, but 

 probably no snow fell. 



Dec. 16. — Fleeting misty lunar corona at times in early 

 morning ; no measurements got. Glories and fog-bows 

 at 15' 1 ; too fleeting to measure. Glory double, with reds 

 outside. Fog-bow as broad whitish band, with occasionally 

 another bow inside it more sharply defined and coloured. 

 Cum.-fog hanging about the sides of the Ben all day. 



Dec. 17. — At 10 h very small star-shaped snowflakes 

 falling. At 14 u air full of very fine needle-shaped crystals. 

 The snow at night was ordinary snow — quite soft. At 

 14 h 30 m white vertical beam under sun, apparently 

 stretching down into Glen Nevis. Faint misty glories 

 seen at times in afternoon ; no measurements got. Faint 

 aurora seen at 21 h ; no streamers, only a low irregular- 

 looking arch. 



Dec. 18. — Misty faint glories seen in afternoon ; too 

 fleeting to measure. No gauge was out at night, but pro- 

 bably no snow fell, though there was considerable drift. 



Dec. 19.— Thermometer box shifted at 10 h 30 m . A 

 faint auroral light seen to northward at night. Sky 

 cloudless to horizon at night, but dark hazy look in the 

 valleys below. 



Dec. 20. — At 7 h red, green, and blue sunrise colours at 

 eastern horizon. Dark portion of moon clearly seen. At 

 9 U two layers of cir.-cum., the higher radiating from S. by W. 

 and the lower from S.W. Shadow of Ben Nevis seen on 

 brownish-red clouds above the N.W. horizon ; no glories 

 or fog-bows about it. At 1 2 h upper half of halo seen, red 

 inside, white outside. Radius of middle of red, 21° 54'; 

 junction of red and white, 22° 12'; middle of white, 23° 

 58'. Distinct though small rain fell at 21 h , though the 

 temperature was 18° 0'. The fog crystals at night were 

 white. 



Dec. 23. — Snow at night large and soft. 



Dec. 25.— The snow which fell to-day was large and 

 soft. Measurements at night rather doubtful, owing to 

 drift. 



Dec. 26.— Thermometer box shifted at h 20 m . Fog 

 on all hills to S.W., W., and N. during the day, — a level 

 layer, but with roll-cum. top; it rose to about 3000 feet, but 

 looked thin. At 10 h a faint vertical halo stretching down 

 from sun. At 12 h a little drizzling rain and small dry 

 snow were falling at the same time, temperature 19° 4'. 

 At 12 h 30 m misty glory and double fog-bow seen. Outside 

 bow had red outside and inside bow red inside. No 

 measurements got. No unusual colours near sun during 

 the day ; sunset colours weak, and apparently no afterglow. 

 Dark hazy look round horizon and under Ben all night. 

 Aurora seen at night ; single low arch. A few streamers 

 (upwards) observed at 22 h . 



Dec. 27. — At 9 h shadow of Ben Nevis seen on clouds to 

 N.W. above the horizon. Faint halo at 10 h . In the 

 evening the snow was large and soft, but after midnight 

 small and hard. 



Dec. 29. —Thermometer box shifted at 17 h 15 m . 



Dec. 30. — At 10 h small needle-shaped crystals of snow 

 falling. Drizzling rain fell at 21 h , and a very little small 

 hardish snow at 22 h . Fog crystals at night were white 

 and icy. Double fog-bow seen at ll b . Red outside 

 outer bow and inside inner. The following (rough) 

 measurements were got : — Radius of outside of outer bow, 

 41° 22'; middle, 39° 20'; inside, 36° 36'; outside of inner 



