The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-16 00:00:00

SPLENDID AURORA

Mr. Lowe, writing from the Observatory, Bees-
tun, under date of March 9, says :—This evening
iwe have had an Aurora Borealis which in magnifi-
cence' has not been surpassed for some years. In
141841 (on March 22), Professor Phillips at York, and:
/Professor Stevelly at Belfast, described a very simi-
lar display, and on the 3d of December 1845, a grand
auroral arch crossed south of the zenith of this'
Observatory, but was less bright than the present
• phenomenon, and also had features differing much
from that of this evening. At 8 p.m. there was an
auroral glare on the northern horizon, end from
9h. 45m. till 10h. 45m. p.m. the whole northern
heavens were covered with bright red aurora. At
this place much cloud intercepted the northern
heavens, which rendered this part of the phenome-
non confused; but within the distance of a couple,
of miles a red arch was seen which, from the descrip-1
Lion, must have passed near Polaris. At 10 o'clocki
the southern half of the heavens became cloudless,l
and a colourless arch was seen stretching across!
the sky from east to west. This arch remainedi
visible till 10h. 45m. p.m., when it faded away andl
the sky became overcast. At 10h. 18m. I took,
the position of the arch among the stars; it com
menced in the west at Orion's belt (those three stars
being about 20 degs, within the arch), it passed,
across Procyon, Jupiter, and Arcturus. and e.s- l
tended 15 degs. below the latter star. roesei
prominent objects are excellent guides by which
to ascertain its height above the earth. The arch
was a broad band of soft, white, calm, strong,
steady light, being broadest at the apex, and
apparently rolling round upon itself with great
rapidity, with a short, tremulous, vibratory, and un-
dulatory motion. The stars were not dimmed by it,
and stars of the third and fourth magnitude were
seen shining through it, but the planet Jupiter was
very sensibly dimmed, and often a bow was formed:,
around this planet. One observe: told me that it
hid stars, but I am quite as positive that it did
not, and that the circumstance of Jupiter being
dimmed has led to the belief that the stars also
were dimmed in light. I fit4d, in reference to this
point, that sometimes the stars have been found
to shine brightly through an auroral arch, and
that at others they have been known to be quite
obscured. Sir W. E. Parry remarks that on Jan.:
15, 1820, " the stars were somewhat dimmed, con-
trary to former experience ;" that on July 8, 1820,-
" Aldebaran and the Pleiades were sensibly
dimmed ;" that on October 2, 1820, "stars were
sometimes altogether obscured ;" and that on Dec.
14, 1821, " stars of the second magnitude were
dimmed." Professor Stevelly remarks on March
22, 1841, that " stars in the Lion shone brighter
through the aurora,' Dr. Falconer, on December
3, 1845, states that " in the centre of the arch stars.
were invisible," while from this observatory on the
same occasion I made a note that "stars shone
quite brightly through it."
The arch did not always keep at one brightness,
being sometimes considerably brighter; mostly
whatever change occurred east of the apex also
occurred west of it. From 10h. 18m. till the time
it disappeared the arch did not move among the
stars ; except a bending about the planet Jupiter at
10h. 32m., and a little oscillatory motion near the
apex, the legs of the arch never moved their posi-
tion. During the latter portion of the time the
arch split almost longitudinally in the north-east
several times, and re-united. In fading away the
diminution in brightness was gradual and equal
throughout the whole arch.

No -doubt, this phenomenon will have been very
generally observed. The day had been very fine,
with a westerly breeze.

THIS LAYS MARK ETS.