Observations of the aurora borealis. From September 1834 to September 1839 / [Robert Snow].

  • Snow, Robert.
Date:
1842
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations of the aurora borealis. From September 1834 to September 1839 / [Robert Snow]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/18 (page 10)
    Ashurst, May 6, 1837. — Night calm and frosty. The Aurora appeared about 25° high, at llh, with streamers from time to time tinged with red, which subsided into a general luminosity, exactly resembling day-break. This lasted all night. The star Capella was within the Aurora, and had a striking appearance. Rain on the night of the 8th. High east wind with hail-storms on the 9th. Hail and thunder on the 10th. Dulwich Wood, November 5, 1837.— As soon as it became dark a fine Auroral arch was seen extending from the N. E. to the N. W. It was very steady, without streamers, and nearly white. Altitude about 10°. Some long bands of white cloud extended from the zenith, and converged gradually towards the crown of the arch in so singular a manner that I could scarcely repress the idea of their being connected with the Aurora. The moon was very bright, and about seven days old. At llh the arch was very brilliant, and white, as before, but very much broken into towards the west by dark clouds. The peculiar darkness be¬ neath the white arch was well seen. At about llh 30m the N. E. part of the arch, (which alone was visible owing to the clouds in the W. and N. W.,) broke up into condensed masses of light, and sent up a few faint streamers. But in a few minutes the whole character of the Aurora was changed. Just about midnight the arch broke up into the most brilliant white and garnet- coloured bands imaginable, which for beauty of colour and precision of arrangement exceeded any thing I