The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1853-04-14

That the Northern Lights may with truth
DC described to the evolution Of electricity, is
the opinion maintained by Ivanhoe, and oc-
cupled 10y some learned men offorner times
founded believe on the experiment al
luded to 10y lvanhoc, showing the appearance
OF electricity in vacuo. 1t is an attractive
hypothesis, but is liable to cogcnt ohjcc-
ton, VIZ: that We are to suppose the stimuli
tancous occurrence Of hphcnomcna, sus-
tanning no necessary connection with each
other, and evinced to us by no observed
facts. Is it an established fact that the
sudden breaking up of Polar Ice is always
a aioreruhner OF this sublime appearance
by no means Polar ice is melted only when
the warm season has fairly set in, whereas
we frequently observe the Aurora early in
The Winter. What evidence have We that
prior to the appearance of the Northern
Lights there is vacuum .foundCY", that
however such terrible catastrophe as an
extensive atmosphcrical vacuum is, thank
Heaven, physical imposSibiliy. This how
ever Is conclusive, that recent observations
nave been made with the most dcicatc
eicctrometers discover corresponding per-
turbations Of electricity, and have Yielded
only negative results, the state of the aerial
electricity has not been found altered dur
ing the most brilliant Aurora
On the authority of Baron Won I[umLod.
(whosc modcsty in advancing facts is quite
refreshing after so much tl,corisinr) the
aurora Borcalis is intimately connected
win magnetic storms. "Al the three man
lirS'at'ols of force of the terrestrial magne-
characterization, inclination. and Intcn-
sstiy, arc affected at once hy the Northern
Lights. In one and the same night, and
from hour to hour, the Aurora affects the
same end OF the needle differently, now
attracting it, now rcpclIing it," For Il beau
tul description Of this truly beautiful wond-
CT, see "kosmos,' vol. l, 2OI.
10 sum up all, there is no evidence to
show that electricity has amy part in the
introduction OF these "mrrry danccrS,' willie
their effects OIL the needle arc sufficiently
satisfactory: i'll fact the irregular variations
OF the needle (Which every man may carry
Ill Ills rockcD are Il sure harLingcr OF al
aurora. Efrctric storms exhibited in the
form of lightning arc confined in their man
Hesitation to Il small district; magncfic varia-
tons extend over half the globe, as Arogo
first proved.
popular error concerning the Aurora
liorealis, is that it takes place at or near
the North Pole, rs its name imports The
great brilliancy of the l;artll-light observed
10y Arctic navigations, dispensing Il light
many times stronger than the Moon) has
tended greatly to lead to this belief. A little
reflection however will show that it is i'm
possible for lis to see an Object high up in
the heavens that is within Mousand Of miles
OF the pole. BY rough calculation can
show that this appearance must he wiih;n
25O mates of the observer. 1t is extremely
probable that. as is the case with the rainbow
every observer sees his own Aurora scpcrate
from that seen by his ncighhor Hence we
may he standing under or are surrounded
by the Aurora seen 10y Observers far to the
south ofus As TO the mode by wl,icil mag.
nctism produces these Lights, we are at
present ignorant. The subject is an inter
csting one, but is as yet, suJ Eh.