SB III.] 



APPEARANCES OF THE AURORA. 



555 



tion, the needle pointed as at midnight; but in about two minutes, the arch 

 descended towards the east, and then the needle gradually returned eastward 

 to its zero*, in which position it remained until the coruscation had dis- 

 appeared. 



At lh. a. m., Aurora visible in patches, 279° and 99°, and a beam 346°, the 

 needle then stood at 348° 16' having moved eastward 34' since midnight. At 

 9h. p. m., January 15th, the needle had attained the usual position at that hour, 

 the aurora then appeared in the zenith. At midnight, a waving irregular arch 

 continued across the zenith from 279° to 99°, and a rapid interior motion 

 passed from the former to the latter direction. Motion of the needle westward. 



16th. At 12h. 20' westward, faint streams from 99°, inclining to the west- 

 ward. 



20th. At 1 lh., an arch crossed the zenith ; and at midnight, a patch appeared 

 54°, lying parallel to the horizon. 



21st. An arch from 99° to 212°, elevation about 10°. At midnight, a 

 broad patch in the zenith. Slender beams rose from 234° and 31°, which were 

 prolonged to the zenith, and came almost in contact with this patch, at the same 

 time a low arch proceeded from 279° to 54°. Between nine and midnight, the 

 needle moved westward 32 minutes. 



22nd. At 9h. p. m., an arched horizontal stream from 110° to 54°. At mid- 

 night no Aurora perceptible, yet the needle had changed its position. 



23rd. 9h. p. m., a brilliant arch across the zenith, from 279° to 99°, com- 

 posed of slender beams, lying parallel to each other. The motion passed 

 from 99° to the zenith. This arch separated in the zenith. The westward 

 part disappeared entirely, but a column of light remained at 99°, motion of the 

 needle westward. At 12h. thick hazy weather, no Aurora visible. Needle had 

 moved eastward.. 



24th. 9h. p. m., two low arches extending from 99° to 178°. At mid- 

 night, the coruscations were generally diffused over the upper part of the 

 sky ; but the streams traversed the zenith in a different direction from the 

 course they more frequently take, and their extremities were at 54° and 234°. 



The most conspicuous beam, rising 245°, proceeded to the zenith, and curled 



- . 



* 348° 30', as mentioned in page 550. 



4 B 2 



