[D *19 ] 
XXIII. An Obfervation of the Lights feen in 
the Air, an Aurora Auftralis, on March 1 8. 
1738-5?. at London, by Cromwell Mor- 
timer, M. Z). Seer . the Royal Society. 
O N Sunday Evening, March is. 1738-9. about 
half an Hour paft Seven, the Sky to the North 
was very clear, and the Stars ftione bright ; to the 
South and South-eaft, as I was in the Skirt of the 
Town on the North-weft Side, the Sky looked ob- 
feured, partly from a Mift, partly from the Smoak 
of the City. At the fame time there appeared a 
bright Column arifing fomewhat North of the Eaft, 
or about the Eaft North- eaft, which reached up with 
its Point near to th z Zenith-, but going a little South 
of .it. This Column feemed to be the Boundary of 
the clear and obfeure Regions of the Sky above- 
mentioned : It had an uniform fteddy Light, without 
any Dartings or Shiverings; but it fometimes vanifhed 
for a few Minutes, and then returned again all at 
once, not proceeding from the Bottom, but from the 
Side next the mifty Part of the Sky, as if it were only 
the Border of the Mift illuminated. About Eight this 
Column was grown much wider, and all of a Breadth, 
extending in the fame Diredion beyond the Zenith 
to the Weft South-weft, as far as I could fee for the 
Houfes,* the Addition to its Breadth feemed to be all 
on the Southern Edge of it j this whole Band was of 
a mod beautiful Pink- colour. A quarter after Eight * 
the Phenomena remained the fame ; but to the North 
North-weft there appeared fame whitilh Clotjds about 
20 ° 
