Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-09-01
40 arnna sccnerr .r,he nsaven..

FNNN' ~ WIS OF hutP"esihB oANVht eie oN'N'Ji
producing the most singular effects, and excl
ting the admiration and awe Of the thousands al
over the country who gazcd upon the wOndroui
atmospheric phenomena. The day had beer
unusually cool for the season, and the sun SCI
in unclouded brilliancy, and it was observe,
that the twilight appeared Of unusual length
The N. Y Post gives the following glowing de
scription of the grand aud sublime spectacle ia
the heavens;
About o'clock it was perceived thatt the pro
longed light, instead of being a legacy Of tn,
sun, emanatcd from singular luminous clou'
that swept in long trail Of white light across
the western part of the heavens, extending
about half way to the zenith. The stars were
not visible through the denser part ofthis cloud
which retained It's position aud appearance foi
some time. 1t then gradually shifted, and ex.
ten6ed, assuming new phases Of beauty.
At about 0 O'Clock the atmospheric display
seemed to reach its elimination, and its aspect
as seen from elevated positions and hOusetops
commanding a fall view of the horizon on oil
sides, was such as to arouse the most overpower-
ing emotious At the zenith, directly above
the spectator, appeared a large circlet OF
white and red, dotted with stare, while from
this coronet rsdiatcd in every direction spears
and currents of quivering light both white and
red. Most of these shoots of light were trans
parent, and the stars beyond bcamed through
with unobstructed beauty To the east and to
the west lay huge fields Of luminous clouds,
tinted with bright rosy flush, wholly unlike
that produced by the rising sun, and, If pOssi'
ble even more beautiful For some ten minutes
this climax remained The ruby crown, gemmed
al fringsd by tparkling stars, retained lie
proud position in the zenith, AID the tremulous
waves Of light foated and quivered downward
like some imperial train waved by the cool night
winds. AT times it suggested mighty hand
and an outstretched arm, bound at the wrist
with bracelet Of ruby and diamond, with the
open palm held as if in benediction over the
earth, while the fingers Of light reached almost
~ the distant horizon.
Soon, as Everett has beautifully spoken Of a
somewhat similar scene, "tho hands of angels
shifted the glorious scenery of the heavens. -
The mass of apparent led cloud to the east
moved away suuthwaTd, gradually fading, while
the corresponding red clouds over the west
seemed to sink into chaus Of dark cloud
that, with fringe Of blue, skirted the western
horizon. While fhese eha~ves we're taking
place in the st and west, the yondrous cowd
above moved a lev degIess and then gradually
laded. Flashes of light covering many de-
grees slowly condensed into mighty luminous
cloud, with its top near the zenith. This cloud
gradually altering its shape, assumed forms
both singular and suggestive.
at one time it bore a striking resemblance to
an eagle, and then the slightest, almost imper
ceptible change, transformed it into tortoise.
Then again, 1t seemed TO sweep across the
heavens, presenting the appearance of con
fused procession of beings clad in ghostly
shrouds, and reminding one OF the dim heroes
of Ossian. For about half an hour these re
markable changes took place, and then the lights
gradually disappeared. In a short time, how
ever, they were resumed Sheets of the same
white luminous cloud again illuminated the sky
producing about the same amount of light az
the full moon and the night became almost as
the day.
The aurora borealis is to-day the chief topic
of conversation, and all agree that they have
seldom or never witnessed so extensive and re-
maGkable an atmospheric phenomena. 1t must
have been much like those described by DR..
Kane, Bayard Taylor, and other northern trav-
elers, and it was obLerved that last night was
very coli for the season, a stiff chilly breeze
blowing almost all night. OF the extent OF the
phenomena we have some idea from the fact
the tclegraphc wires we're affected by it IN al
most every direction All the operators on the
borealis as the most magnificent they ever wit
messed, Certainly not since the appearance oi
the last comet have the heavens declared the
glory of God in a subliner manner, or the firma-
ment shown Ills handiwoTk in more gorgeous
manifestation.
The Times gives the following interesting
account of similar phenomena in times gone
by, and the popular theory of the origin of the
Aurora Borcalis;
Pliny and Aristotle record phenomena iden'
teal with those which later times have wit
messed The ancients ranked this, with other
celestial phenomena, as portending great
events. In 1860, historians state 1t appeared
in London, in the shape of cunning spears,
a similitude which would be no less appropriate
now than it was then. Frequent displays are
recorded during the fifteen years following that
date. During the latter half Of the seventeenth
century, the phenomena were frequently visi-
Bile, oitentmes with great briiancy. After
l745 the displays suddenly diminished, and
were but rarely seen for the next nine years-
The last century, until within the last twenty
years, has been favored in remarkable degree
One Of the most interesting periods of the dis
play of the Aurora was during the Yeas 1895,
&c aud '37--the last exhibition of special inter-
/
Astronomers tell us that the light centres
around the magnetic pole when the display is
Of sufficient brilliancy to define the curve, and
| taking this point as that of measurement they
have attempted to calculate the height of the
sheets Of light above the earth. Various OBJ
servations made by Prof Olmsted, in CON
junction with Prof A. c. Twining, of New
Haven, fix its elevation on different occasions
at 42I.3, 100, l44, and l60 miles Prof Ohm
sted claims that it is rarely less than 20 miles
from the earth, and never more than 100 above
| it,
What is the origin of this remarkable phe
nomenal The ancients asked the question:
and the moderns reply by repeating the inter
rogalon. The most popular theory attributes
it to electricity, but that agent has been made
responsible for everything which men did not
know how TO account for otherwise. The late
Prof Olmsted maintained that its origin was
cosmica, or, in other words, that the earth in
revolving on its orbit at certain periods, passes
through a nebulous body, which evolved this
strange light in more or less brillancy, as the
bpdy was larger or smaller. To support this
theory he attempted to establish that there were
fixed epoehs foT its display in the highest dc.
gree of brilliancy. He fixed the length Of
these periods from 60 10 SO years, and if we
remember Alright, named 1890 as the time when
we might look for another appearance. The
remarkable display Of Sunday night gives those
who have so strongly contested this idea, a
strong argument against it, and launches as
tronomers who have anchored to it upon the
sea of conjecture again.
Union Fair at Bedford.