Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1859-09-13
The Aurora Borealis.

4
/ Our exchanges from all directions speak
OF the magnificent spectacle presented in
the heavens on Sunday evening. 1t seems
10 have been characterized by very SIM
liar appearances, In New York, Boston,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and
at other points. Everywhere the phe-
nomenon was accompanied with de-
preston of temperature. 1t seems 10
have formed very general topic of con-
versation since IL occurrence, and certain
| iy, as contemporary remarks, s not since
the appearance of the last comet have the
heavens declared the glory of God in a
sublImer manner. or the firnament shown
His handlwork in more gorgeous manif-
eStatlonS.
The spectacle las viewed in Philadelphia
is described by the North American
" Since the year 1929, no such brilliant
celestial spectacle has been visible as that
presented by an aurora Borealis last
night. The numerous nebul9 were of
cherry red, and were disposed over the
heavens like that familiar spectacle which
children call 8 the sun drawing water.'-
The volumes of light shot up from the
horizon in several directions, sometimes
lntensiTying TO deep red, and again pal
ing TO more ruddy flush. What render
ed the phenomenon more remarkable, the
zenith was at times as deeply tnged as
the horizon. AT ten o'clock last night we
ascended the State House steeple and
viewed the celestial dissoivlng views with
degree of awe never before realzed.--
Pedestrians IN the streets were gathered
all uIrpPrlnDS g ,p1,prr
the pyrotechnics." ....t-. a
says:
:" A gentleman who was in New Jersey,
II or ID miles south of this point, states
that The general impression there was
that a tremend Gus con fagration was rag
ing IN Philadelphia. The idea was
strengthened by the ringing of bell at
distant point, which the listners fanced
was the State-house bell toling for ter
rlble fire.
The electricity which attended this
beautiful phenomenon took possession of
the magnetic wires throughout the country
and there were numerous side displays
in the telegraph Offices, where all sorts
OF fantastical and unreadabe MESA Ces
came through the instruments, and where
the atmospher Ic fire. works assumed shape
and substance In brilliant sparks.
Prof. Merriam has a communication In
the New York papers, detailing his OBJ
servations on the Aurora He says;
On Sunday, the 2Sth, the temperature
of the atmosphere at my place of observa-
ton ranged from IS to 20 degrees, from
8 A. NJ 10 6 p. NJ, nine consecutive
hours, with the exception of slight per-
turbation at II, when it fell 3 and rose 3
degrees. Al IL P NJ the temperature
was at 56 degrees, and at A NJ of the
day was at 40 degrees. AS the sunlight
| disappeared on Sunday evening, the Au-
rora kindled up its light, and became ex-
tremely diffused, and at o'clock this
evening the light was equal to the light
of the moon and its full during cloud
less sky. The Aurora clouds that came
over from the North were fleecy and like
fine veil, and dimmed the light of the
stars. The telegraph wires were sur
charged by the Aurora. 1t IS probable
that the Auroral light commenced at II
NJ, yesterday, but the sunlight being
present. outshone the Aurora, and thus
concealed it from view.
The auroral light is sometimes COM
posed of threads like the siken warp of
a web; these sometimes become broken
and fall to the earth, and possesses ex-
quisite softness and sllvery lustre, aud
| dominate these as the siIkery of the
skies. Io1,ce attained a SmaHp1ecc 1clich
Ipreserued. ..-. E.
On the 10Th and Doth III October, 1S4S.
the Aurora Borealis ard Aurora Austria
lies met, and a bright band encircled the
whole earth. Simultaneous to that won
derful display thousand shocks of earth
quake in the islands of New Zealand
awoke one OF the volcanoes at the anti
podes from long slumber.
AT the time the earthquakes were so
terrific IN the New Zealand Islands,
earthquake shocks were felt in England
on the opposite side of the globe