The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1827-09-05
WORCESTER:
WEDNESDAY, SEPT. s, 1927.

WONDERFUL PHENOMENON. On the even
ing of the 28th ult. the heavens exhibited one
of the most sublime and imposing spectacles
ever witnessed. The Aurora Borealis, or
Northern Light, had been seen family little
previous to the setting of the moon Imme-
diately after it set, at few minutes before
10 o'clock, splendid zone Of light, O: ilumn-
ated belt, was observed to form itself, span
ming the whole heavens, in a direction nearly
from east to west, and declining, at its apex, a
few degrees to the north of the zenith 1t ap-
pearcd, when we first noticed it, in the east
ern horizon, about the width of the milky way,
gradually widening, to the elevation of about
45 degrees, when the width became nearly uni
form to the western horizon, and about one
third wider than at the eastern extremity
The edges were as perfectly defined and regu-
lar as if it had been formed of some solid sub
stance. 1t resembled cloud of highly illumin-
ated vapor, or belt of bright, unburnished ST.
yer. Though light, it had none of the fiery
appearance, or glow, usually attending the
Aurora Borealis, and, considering it's bright
ness, it did not give SO much light as might
have been supposed. The light was ubout
midway between bright starlight and moon
light, so that the time of night could be readi-
ly distinguished by watch. The whole body
of the arch moved gradually to the south, while
the particles of which it was composed appa-
rently flowed, with great rapidity, and with an
urdulating or ripping motion, from east to
west. In this manner, after about twenty min
utes, the arch gradually receded from the east
ern horizon, then became gradually thinner
like light, feecy cloud, ard finally dissolved
away, and entirely disappeared before eleven
o'clock, having, before its disappearance, pass
ed the zenith, and declined to an elevation, in
the south, of about so degrees. When view
ed, it appeared as lift was so low, that to move
short distance, north or south, would change
its apparent direction yet, the fact that it was
seen about the same time, and nearly in the
same direction, from Portsmouth, n II. to
Philadelphia, and we know not how much far
Their each way, proves that it must have been
at an immense distance from the earth It
was supposed by some to have been a dense
vapor, but that this was an erroneous belief is
evident, because the stars were distinctly visi-
Bile through it,
Appearances of this kind are rare, and may
be considered the wonder of an age. The Sa-
lem Register says, that Dr.. Holyoke, now in
his Tooth year, has seen similar belts twice be-
fore in his life, neither of which were near
equal in splendor to this They are supposed.
by philosophers, to proceed from the same
cause as the Aurora Boroalis, though in this
case, there was no apparent conncxion between
the belt and the northern light, broad space
of the heavens, entirely clear, intervening be-
tween them. But, as the arch declined to the
south, the Aurora frightened up, and after its
disappearance, shone with unwonted brilliance,
shooting up in vivid streaks toward the zenith,
and assuming various fantastic forms. 1t was
also very brilliant on the evening preceding.
At the time of this singular phenomenon, the
sky was perfectly cloudless, the atmosphere
remarkably clear, and so still that not even
the rustling of leaf was to be heard. 1t was,
altogether, grand and imposing spectacle
calculated to impress the mind with exalted
ideas of the attributes of that Infinite Being
who stretched forth the heavens and laid
the foundations of the earth"
The accounts given in the various papers
are very similar, but we extract the following
from the New York Commercial Advertiser,
because it details some appearances, which
were, either not visible here, or took place be-
fore our observation commenced -
1t appeared directly in the west, and rescm-
bled bright pillar of light, something in the
shape of an inverted conc, arising from below