THE AURORA BOREALXS. 
" The heavens declare the glory of God ;" (Ps. xix. i.) yet the more 
familiar appearances of the sky, beautiful as they are, scarcely awaken 
our attention, or lead our thoughts towards their Great Author. But 
when such a spectacle as that presented by the Aurora Borealis first 
breaks upon the sight, the most indifferent person must be led to reflect 
upon the wonder-working power of the Divine Hand. 
The name given to this phenomenon signifies Northern Daybreak, 
and is very appropriate, because the Aurora usually appears in the north, 
and gives a light not unlike that of the dawn of day. It is sometimes 
seen in this country ; but it is seldom brighter here than the light of a 
subdued twilight. In the regions of the north, and also at rare intervals 
in this country, it assumes a much more magnificent appearance, and 
presents a variety of majestic forms. Sometimes from a focus of light, 
there proceeds a multitude of bright and quivering beams, shooting 
upwards with great rapidity, and yielding a silvery radiance like that of 
the moon. Frequently a larger arch of light appears, accompanied at 
the same time by other smaller arches ; these move towards each other, 
and suddenly mute in one splendid mass of radiance ; or, perhaps one 
majestic slow-moving arch, of great beauty and effulgence, will suddenly 
break into countless masses of light, or into numerous smaller arches. 
Sometimes these arches are brightest towards their centres, at others they 
are most brilliant at their extremities. 
The light of the Aurora is generally white and silvery, but it occasion- 
ally presents the beautiful colouring of the rainbow. In high northern 
latitudes it is mostly white, steel-grey, or pale yellow ; but when the 
sky is clear, or only thin films of cloud are visible, the colours are vivid 
and prismatic. In Baffin's Bay, the Aurora has been observed distinctly 
of red, orange, yellow, and green colours. In the north-east of Siberia, 
it is particularly luminous, clothing the sky with a radiance resembling 
that of " gold, rubies, and sapphires." In Hudson's Bay the light of the 
Aurora is frequently equal to that of the full-moon, while in Lapland 
and Sweden the light is still more brilliant, and nearly constant. In this 
beautiful phenomenon, therefore, the inhabitants of polar regions find a 
compensation for many of the discomforts and inconveniences of their 
dreary situation. Even in the Shetland isles the Aurora is a frequent 
and welcome visiter. Under the title of " merry dancers," the inhabit- 
ants hail its appearance as giving beauty and cheerfulness to their long 
winter nights. It appears soon after the commencement of evening twi- 
light, rising just above the horizon, without particular motion or efful- 
gence, but after a time breaking forth into streams of brilliant light, and 
assuming every possible variety of form and colour ; the stars are visible 
through the streamers of the Aurora, and they are not greatly dim- 
med in their lustre, unless the light is of remarkable brilliancy. Objects 
on the earth may also be observed through these transparent beams. A 
splendid Aurora was observed by Captain Parry, actually shooting its 
beams between the observer and the land, the latter being only three 
thousand yards distant. 
The cause of the Aurora has never been satisfactorily explained. It 
is, however, usually attributed to electricity, which, in its passage from 
the north pole to the equator, is supposed to become visible in this 
form. The beautiful imitation of the streamers of the Aurora, which 
can be obtained from the electrical machine, seems to favour this view ; 
yet it is remarkable that the magnetic needle has never been visibly 
affected by the Aurora even in those countries where the phenomenon 
is the most splendid. This is still, therefore, one of those wonderful dis- 
plays of Divine Power which we must admire, without being able, in 
the present state of our knowledge, to explain or understand. The 
Aurora has also been seen hi high southern latitudes, but destitute of 
colour. In this situation it has been called, Aurora Australis, or 
Southern Daybreak. 
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