Macon intelligencer., 1839-12-05
From London paper of Sept 4th.
The Failing Stars and Aurora BoreaIi.

Fl Between the hours of ten last night and
three this morning, in the heavens were OBJ
] served one of the most magnifcent speci-
mems OF that extraordinary phenomenon
the falling stars and northern lights ever
witnessed for many years past The first
indication of this singular phenomenon
was about ten minutes before ten, when a
light crimson, apparently vapor, rose from
the northern portion of the hemisphere.
and gradually extended to the centre ofthe
heavens, and by ten o'clock, or a quarter
past, the whole from east to west was in
one vast sheet of light. 1t had a most
alarming appearance, and was exactly like
that occasioned by terrific fire. The
light varied considerable, at one time It
seemed to fall, and directly after rose with
intense brightness. There were TO be
seen mingled with it volumes of smoke.
which rolled over and over, and every be,
holder seemed convinced that it was "a tre-
mendouS confagration. The consterna-
ton in the metropolis was very great, thou
sands of persons were running in the d.
rection of the supposed catastrophe. The
engines belonging to the Fire Brigade sta
tions In Baker street, Harrington street.
Waiting street. Waterloo road, and like
wise those belonging to the West of Eng
land station, in fact every fire engine in
London was horsed, and galloped after
the supposed "scene of destruction with
more than ordinary energy, followed by
carriages, horsemen, and vast mobs. Some
ofthe engines proceeded as far as EIighgate
and, Holloway before The error wasdiscnr-
cred.
These appearances lasted for upwards
of two hours, and towards morning the
spectacle became one of more grandeur.
At two o'clock this morning the phenom-
enon presented a most gorgeous scene.
and one very difficult TO describe. The
whole of London was illuminated as light
as noon day, and the atmosphere was re-
markablo clear The southern hemis |
2here at the time mentioned, although un-
clouded, was very dark, but the stars
which were innumerable, shone beautiful |
ly. The opposite side of the heavens pre-
sented singular but magnificent contrast;
it was clear to the extreme, and the light |
was very vivid, there was continual sue
cession of meteors, which varied in splen-
dor. They apparently formed in the cen
tire of the heavens, and spread till they
seemed to burst; the effect was electrical,
myriads ofsmalI stars shot out over the |
horizon, and darted with that swifiness to-
wards the earth that the eye scarcely could
follow the track; they seemed to burst al
so, and throw dark crimson over the en-
tire hemisphere The colors were the
most magnificent that ever were seen. AT
half past two o'clock the spectacle changed
to darkness, which, on dispensing, display
ed luminous rainbow in the zenith ofthe
heavens, and round the ridge of darkness
that overhung the southern portion of the
country. Soon afterwards columns of sill
very light radiated from it, they increased
intermingled amongst Grim
son vapor, which formed at the same time,
and when at the full height the spectacle
was beyond all imagination Stars were
]artng about in alLdirections. and contin-
ned until four o'clock, when all died away.
During the time that they lasted, great
many persons assembled on the bridges
across the river Thames, where they had
commanding view of the heavens. and
watched the progress of the phenomenon,