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BEN NEVIS OBSERVATORY-LOG-BOOK, 1896. 



Jan. 2. — The rain stopped, and the top cleared after 3 h . 

 The fog sank lower and lower, and at 7 h was filling the 

 valleys only. Fog came on again at 21 h . At 14' 1 there 

 was a solar halo. 



Jan. 3. — The top was mostly clear, but the sky over- 

 cast. There were detached portions of fog all round 

 among the hills and in the valleys. At 2 h and midnight 

 a lunar corona was observed, and an aurora at midnight. 



Jan. 4. — Lunar corona at l h . Dense fog filled the 

 valleys to S. and E., and sometimes in other directions. 

 There were patches of fog almost all day over the 

 Caledonian Canal beyond Loch Lochy, otherwise the N. 

 and N.W. were free of fog. The earth shadow was seen 

 at sunset with red rays radiating from a point in the N.E. 

 above the blue of the earth shadow. An aurora was seen 

 at 20 h , 21 h , 22 h , and midnight. It was quite brilliant, 

 especially about 20 h , when there were two bright arches — 

 a steady light with no streamers. From 20 h 10 m to 20 h 

 15 m streamers were developed travelling along from N. by E. 

 to the north-westward. The aurora also was brighter al- 

 together, and the most brilliant display of streamers was 

 to the N.W., some of these were coloured red. During this 

 display the arches became broader and more broken. At 

 21 h there was only a faint auroral light. No aurora was 

 seen at 23 h ; but at midnight there were several bright 

 streamers visible in spite of brilliant moonlight. The moon 

 rose at 21 h 5 m . Some flies were observed frozen on the 

 snow to-day. 



Jan. 5. — There was fog mostly to the S.E. and over 

 the western sea, and haze to the N".W. below. After 17 h 

 fog gathered to the W. and N. and became thickest in 

 that direction. The aurora was seen at and after 21 h . 

 Faintish at 21 h , brighter at 21 h 10 m and 21 h 25 m , but 

 much brighter at 22 u , with two arches like last night. At 

 23 h the higher arch reached about 30° from . horizon, 

 and there were a few streamers from both arches. 



Jan. 6. — The aurora was again seen at l h and 3 h , and 

 a lunar corona at 5' 1 and 6 h . 



Jan. 7. — The aurora was again seen at 23 h and 24 h . 



Jan. 8. — There was fog all round below till 21 h , there- 

 after only detached fog to E. and N". Glories and double 

 fog-bows were seen. Thermometer box changed ; height 

 above snow not altered. 



Jan. 9. — There was fog to the JST.E. and S.E. till 5 a.m., 

 but the sky has been almost cloudless. The shadow of 

 the Ben seen at sunrise and sunset, and that of the earth 

 at sunset. The sky was green at the horizon at 1 6 h . An 

 aurora was seen at 22 h and 23 h . At 22 h , one arch, no 

 streamers. Very fine and irregular streamers seen at 23 h . 

 The fog was banking up all round the Ben at midnight. 



Jan. 10. — The thermometer screen was changed at 13 h ; 



height above snow not altered. The fog reached up to 

 about 4000 feet in the afternoon. 



Jan. 12. — St. Elmo's Fire was seen on the tower and 

 kitchen chimney at 18 h . 



Jan. 14. — Snow down to about 300 feet above sea-level 

 at 9 h . The thermometer screen was shifted at 12 h 10 m . 



Jan. 19. — The top cleared at 22 h , and there was a faint 

 aurora. The sky was then cloudless till midnight. The 

 wet bulb not having moistened at 23 h , the Dew Point was 

 calculated by the midnight reading, the air evidently 

 being dry. 



Jan. 20. — The top was clear till 6 h and at ll h and 

 noon. Lightning was seen to the westward at 6 h , and 

 clicks on telegraph instrument were heard frequently 

 between 6 h and 9 b . 



Jan. 22. — There was more or less fog till 9 a.m., when 

 it fiually lifted, but it looked as if it would come down 

 again, indeed, it was frequently touching the tops of the 

 hills including the Ben. A lunar corona was seen at 20 h . 

 The thermometer screen was shifted at 10 h 10 m . At 15 h 

 a raven was seen near the Observatory. 



Jan. 23. — It was almost cloudless till 9 a.m., but 

 diffuse fog was gathering all round, and at that hour the 

 Ben was enveloped. At night the fog became very dense. 



Jan. 24. — Fine lunar coronas (double at times) and fog- 

 bows were seen. Glazed frost at 20 h and 21 h . 



Jan. 25. — Almost cloudless till 13 h . The fog lying all 

 round at 3 h was up to about 2000 feet, and rose by 8 h to 

 4400 feet; at 14 h it enveloped the summit. Lunar coronas 

 and fog-bows were seen at l h and 2 h . Solar fog-bows 

 (triple at times) were seen all the morning. There was a 

 brilliant meteor that fell from about 30° above horizon N. 

 to about 10° from horizon N. by E., it vanished behind 

 some cumulo-stratus clouds lying round the horizon. 

 The thermometer screen was changed after 2 h . 



Jan. 27. — The barometer was pumping in the morning 

 and at night. At 7 h St. Elmo's Fire was bright on the 

 tower and kitchen chimney. A lunar corona at midnight. 



Jan. 30. — Lunar coronas and fog-bows (double and 

 triple at times) seen at 21 h , 22 h , 23 h , and a faint aurora 

 in spite of brilliant moonlight. The thermometer screen 

 was changed. 



Jan. 31. — Bright lunar coronas and fog-bows were seen 

 this morning and at night. There has been thick fog all 

 round below covering all land, except at times in the after- 

 noon the extreme tops of Cairngorms, Schiehallion, and 

 Aonach Mohr. Glories were seen all day. The sun set 

 behind clouds at about 4000 feet at 16 h 52 m . The 

 shadow of the earth and Ben were seen well at sunset. 

 At 21 h 20™ there were strong earth currents on the wire. 

 An aurora was seen at 21 h and after. At 23 h the aurora 



