626 



BEN NEVIS OBSERVATORY. — LOG-BOOK. 



[1904. 



alto.-cum. Part of solar halo seen at 14 h 15 m . From 14 h 

 till 16 h there was a great reddish ring round the sun 

 outside a whitish watery glare. 



Measurements per Stephanome were made, giving — 

 Radius of outside of red = 26° 17' 

 „ inside „ = 19° 39' 



Feb. 10.— Earth currents noted at h 47 m , l h m , and 

 l h 3 m . Clear in afternoon, but fog all around below to 

 about 4000 feet. Strongly marked reddish ring round 

 sun at 15 b , same as yesterday. No cloud or halo seen 

 connected with it. 



Feb. 11. — Fog, except at 15 1 ' and 16 h , when sky was 

 overcast with stratus (alto.-str.) and thin blue haze was 

 seen in valleys. Fine star-shaped snow-crystals falling 

 at 21 h . 



Feb. 12. — The wind in the afternoon increased to 

 almost hurricane force. No outside observations were 

 made from 13 u to 17 h inclusive. The temperature read- 

 ings were made from Tower Storm Screen, and, after 

 being corrected, were entered in the records. Outside 

 observations were resumed at 18 h . Thunder and lightning 

 between 23 h and midnight (23 h 7 m , 19 m , 21 m , 28 m , and 

 35 m ). Earth currents set the telephone bell ringing 

 at each (lash. Earth currents were also noted in morn- 

 ing—two between 4 h and 5 h , at 5 U 55 m , 6 h 35 m , and 

 again at 17 h 57 m and at 18 h 10 m and 18 h 20 m . Fog- 

 crystals grey in colour. 



Feb. 13. — Icy hail falling and ice forming on surfaces 

 in evening. Thermometer box changed after 17 h . Height 

 not altered. 



Feb. 15. — Thermometers changed, but box not changed 

 nor height altered after 1 l h . 



Feb. 16. — At l h snow and snow-hail were falling. 

 The snow fell as small and large motes (not flakes). 



Feb. 17. — Fog in early morning and after 19 h . Summit 

 clear, and sky almost cloudless during the day. Haze and 

 detached cum. -fog all around below. Glare round sun 

 with reddish ring outside it in afternoon. Thermometers 

 changed after 7 h . Height not altered. 



Feb. 20. — [During the last few days the Observatory 

 cat has been suffering from a form of paralysis. To-day it 

 was destroyed. It was brought to the summit as a kitten, 

 a few months old, on 26th July 1895.] 



Feb. 22. — Summit clear from 7 h till 16 h , but very thick 

 fog at night, forming dark fog-crystals. (Wind S. to S.E.) 

 Thermometer box changed after 8 h . After 17 h the 

 thermometer box was raised one step on ladder stand. 

 It now rests on the top of the fixed ladder. 



Feb. 23. — Very thick fog all day, and fog-crystals very 

 dark in colour. 



Feb. 24. — Dark fog-crystals forming all day. Gritty 

 snow falling most of the day, but not showing much in 

 gauge. The surface drift was much whiter than the fog- 

 crystals. 



Feb. 25. — Fog forming dark fog-crystals all day. Small 

 gritty snow falling during the day, but more flaky at night. 



Feb. 27. — Clearing at intervals during the day, and 

 quite clear after 18 h . Varying amounts of cir.-s. and 

 cum.-cir. on sky moving from N. and lying N.W. and 

 S.E. Bright lunar corona seen at 19 h . 



Feb. 28. — Lunar halo seen at 3 h and 4 h . Very thick 

 haze all round below at night. Fog-crystals to-day were 

 again dark coloured. 



" Fog-crystals forming all night 



Feb. 29. — Thermometers changed after 15 h . Lunar 

 corona seen on cir.-c. clouds at l h . 



Mar. 1. — Summit clear most of the day. Varying 

 amounts of cir.-s., str.-cir., alt.-str., and cir.-cum. on sky, 

 and haze and fog below. Lunar halo seen on cir.-haze at 

 2 h , 3 h , and 4 h , and lunar corona seen at 4 h . Hazy reddish 

 glow about moon at 22 h . At 23 h the cir.-s. in sky consisted 

 of one long irregular band in western sky, lying N.N.E. and 

 S.S.W. At 16 h the radiating points of clouds were N.E. 

 and S.W. This cloud was also ribbed N.W. and S.E. 

 Thermometer box changed after 20 h . Small starry snow- 

 crystals falling at 8 h . 



Mar. 2. — In the early morning there was some cir.-s. 

 low in western sky lying N.E.-S.W. At times this gave 

 off arches which rose and advanced in a S.E. direction, 

 the highest observed being about 40° above horizon at 5\ 

 Fog came on at 6 1 '. Trace of small lunar corona on cir.-s. 

 at 5 h , but no trace of a halo. Lunar corona seen again, on 

 fog, at 6 h . At 8 h it was noted that the snow-crystals 

 lying on surface assumed the peculiar appearance of 

 curved plates, with their edges, which were mostly 

 straight lines, raised. 



Mar. 3.— Note at 5 h 

 — white." Strong earth current at 13 u 42 m , 



Mar. 5. — Thermometer box changed after 10 h . A pair 

 of ravens seen at ll h 30 m . Heather burning on moor 

 to-day. 



Mar. 6. — At 12 h 30 m broad pink band observed round 

 the sun. Noted also at 14 h and 15 h . Changed ther- 

 mometers after 7 h . 



Mar. 8. — At 16 h stray starry snow-crystals were falling. 

 Thermometer box changed after 15 b . 



Mar. 9. — Solar corona seen at 17 h 20 m , and the 

 zodiacal light from 20 h till after 23 h . A raven was seen 

 in evening. 



Mar. 10. — Summit clear all day. Atmosphere pretty 

 clear below all round during the forenoon, but thick haze 

 came on in the evening. This haze was first seen to S.W. 

 and W., and it steadily advanced from that direction. At 

 12 h 15 m fine masses of alto.-c. were seen in W. sky. The 

 cir.-s. in sky later on radiated from N.W. and S.E. 

 Double glories seen at 7 h and 8 h , and a solar halo at 15 h . 

 The earth shadow was observed at 7 h . 



Mar. 11. — Cloudless in forenoon, but fog all round 

 below to near level of summit. Fog on summit in morn- 

 ing and at night. 



Mar. 12. — At 15 h cir.-s. and str.-cir. on sky, whose 

 radiating points were S.W.-N.E. Thermometer box 

 changed after 8 h . Height not altered. 



Mar. 14.— St Elmo's Fire observed at 13 h . Ther- 

 mometer box changed after 4 h . The thermometers were 

 again changed after 12 h ; the wet bulb was reading much 

 above the dry all forenoon. 



Mar. 15.— Almost cloudless all morning. Cloudy in 

 afternoon, fog at night. Very thick haze seen to S.E. in 

 afternoon. It lay S.W.-N.E., and did not come nearer to 

 Ben Nevis than the middle of the moor of Rannoch. 

 Changed thermometer box after lOK 



Mar. 20. — In early morning the snow falling was in 

 small motes. Snow-bunting seen at 8 h . 



Mar. 22.— St Elmo's Fire was noted at 13 h . 

 Thermometer box changed after 23 h . Height not 

 altered. 



