The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1859-08-31
An Anrnrn RnrenIis.


The Cincinnati Consnercal, Of last Monday,
has the 0llowing in relation to the display Of
Northern Lights" on Sabbath evening"
The display Of Northern Lights" last night,
was Of extraordinary brillianee. There was q
wierd magnificenee IN the illumination Of the
North and East. There was a CHASTITY SPLEEN
dor over the horizon OF the North, from which
fantastic spires oflight shot up, and rosy glow
extended, like a vapor tinged with fire, TO the
zenith. The spectacle presented was Of mar.
velous though spectral beauty-and a rarely
vivid exhibition Of the phenomenon Of the Nor
thern Aurora for this latitude. Those who see
in these revelations of the handiwork of the
Creator, Signs and wonders are furnished
a fruitful theme for speculation.
The northern lights, which formed so mar
kable a spectacle last night, between eight and
ten o'clock, interrupted telegTGphic communion.
ton at al points. Reports were received in this
city that the effect of the Aurora was noticed
at New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and
Columbus. and was the SAME rs that experien-
ced in a thunder storm. There were strong
currents OF electricity observed on the wires to
which no batteries were attached, and some ex-
traordinary electrical phenomena, difficult Of
explanation, noticed. The wires in operation
norGh of New York, were interrupted in a
greater proportion. Business was at last sus-
pended. A similar Interruption was observed
IN 81 or '52, when all the wires in the country
were interrupted, so that business was entirely
suspended.
The Cincinnati G,sete, OF the same date as
the Commercial, has the following article on the
same subject
A SPLENDID AURORA BoREALIs.-We had,
last night, one of the most brilliant auroraE
manifestations we have ever known in summer.
1t began about eight O'Clock, before the twilight
had fully gone, and at twelve it was still bril-
liant. At the time it began, there were dense
masses of black clouds in the West, reaching
halfway to the zenith. These disappeared be-
fore the Aurora, which soon overspread halfthe
sky, at the "zenith of the magnetic dip" which
phrase may be thus explained. If a magneti-
zed needle be suspended in a vertical plane on
a pivot, the northern pole will point to the
earth, but not in a vertical line, and the angle
of variation from the v~erticle line is called the
magnetic dip" The zenith of this is the
point in the sky to which the south pole OF the
needle points. The colorS Of TIE Aurora were
g%recning yellow, and the complimentary shade
Of red. When the Aurora was at its height
I've SOIOiS WIZ very DIliIldht' AdbCl III t'S
night the blush was confined to the north, and
did not reach more than one-fourth the dis
lance to the zenith.
The Aurora is supposed 10 be caused by the
illumination, through electrical influences, of
particles of sleet, in the higher regions of the
atmosphere. We have seen it several times in
summer, and have almost always noticed that
it followed a sudden lowering of the tempera-
ture after rain. Last evening the mercury sank
rapidly, at twelve O'Clock it was more than
probable that we should have frost before morn
ing.
Although, as we say, we have several times
seen the Aurora in summer we never saw so
brilliant a manifestation but once before, and
that was mo!e than fifteen years ago, in this
city, when the diffusion was as great and the
light msre brilliant than last night.
The southern part OF the heavens seemed pur-
pie by contrast. In the east and northeast
the lights were green, of various shades, min
gIed with yellow, while in the northwest they
were of a brilliant rose tint, likes the flames
from burning buildings. And over the whole
Of the sky thus illuminated, away up to to the
crown of the arch and beyond, ever an anon ran
tremulous waves oflight, not unlike the flashes
Of lightning.
Tha light was so intense that our hand held
near a wall cast a shadow, and we read by it
solid minion type.
p. S.-Aboat one O'CLOCK this morning the
aurora assumed a form Of extreme beauty
Commencing with an arch in the North, which
was green above, and beneath Of the ~intensest
purpletstreams of light green shot up to the
zenith Of the magnetic dip, from fully half the
circum cerance of the horizon. These united
making a sort Of crown. Beyond this there
were banks of greyish green light.