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VI. Report of a remarkable appearance of the Aurora Borealis below the Clouds. 
By the Rev. James Farquharson, LL.D., F.R.S., Minister of the Parish of Alford. 
Received March 17, — Read April 14, 1842. 
Alford, February 24, 1842. — Saw, at 11 p.m., a remarkable aurora borealis, 
between the observer and lofty stratus clouds. The density of the clouds, the 
great brilliancy of the meteor, its considerable continuance, its renewed display, and 
the extent of space it occupied, left no doubt of the reality of the phenomenon. 
After a day, during which the whole heavens had been mostly shrouded by a uni- 
form cloud, with a gentle wind atN.W., the sky, after sunset, became partially clear ; 
and the thermometer descended to 34°, with calm. Barometer 28*89 inches. At 1 1 
p.m. a very brilliant display of pencils of aurora (streamers) was seen at W. by S., 
in a limited space about 10° broad, and 15° or 20° high, a little above the visible 
horizon ; and a separated display of the same, much wider, and of nearly the same 
height, but not quite so brilliant, in another limited space at N.W. It was instantly 
seen that in both spaces the bright meteor was between the eye and lofty stratus 
clouds. These clouds extended in long parallel belts, some of them 10° or 15° 
broad, some broader, with narrow intervals of clear sky between them, in a direc- 
tion from N.W. to S.E. This arrangement was clearly seen in all the western part 
of the sky, although there existed under these clouds thinner fleecy irregular ones, 
which here and there obscured it for short distances. These lower irregular clouds 
prevailed more in the eastern part of the sky ; but there, also, the arrangement of the 
belts of stratus was recognised through their intervals. One of the irregular thin 
clouds lay over the moon, then nearly south, and nearly at full ; and its consistency 
was such as to obscure the dark spaces on her disc, although not its circular outline. 
The lofty stratus clouds, were, in some parts at least, of much denser consistency ; 
as was proved by their totally obscuring some very brilliant falling stars, which 
passed behind them, as will be afterwards described. 
The exhibition of pencils of aurora at the W„ by S. space was of unusual brilliancy, 
and the coruscations incessant, as they brightened up, and faded, and suddenly dis- 
appeared, and were renewed, successively. The colour at the lower extremity was a 
lively minium red, but only for a short way up; the upper part being of the common 
greenish yellow. They crossed, angularly, the lofty cloud nearest to the western 
horizon, which was narrow, and were clearly seen upon its face, and stretching 
their extremities into the clear sky on each side of it. Even the feeblest of them 
maintained its continuity and its peculiar tinge of colour, over both the thinner 
