The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1859-09-23
The Aurora Borea,;s.

=
ferent and distant localities, it ap.
pears that the hight 70 which the
flashes and streamers ascended must
have been extreme-probably sever.
al hundreds of miles. But more
definite and authentic accounts are
requisite, in order to trace the phe-
nomena with certainty, and to settle
conclusively the most important
facts. This can only be done by
collecting and comparing the state.
ments of reliable persons who noticed
the appearances with some care, and
who retain them definitely in their
recollection.
As this Aurora appears 10 he the
greatest which has visited tho United
States, in this century at least, it is
proposed that endeavors should be
made to ascertain the facts, while
the evidence is yet attainable. The
writer, having observed with care
almost every great Aurora Of the
past forty years in the United States,
presumes to suggest to persons who
sttentively witnessed the display to
send their written statements Of the
appearances to the Press, or put
them into the hands Of men by whom
they will be- improved for the pur.
pose OF scientific investigation. If,
in consequence Of this casual invi
tation, any such statements (howev.
er numerous) shall be mailed to him,
addressed to ga. 7. c., New Haven,
Connecticut" he will undertake that
the valuable facts or observations
therein shall be duly brought to light
by comparison and investigation.
The phenomena, as seen by the
writer-then at West Point, New
lork-appeared, by marked coin,
cidence OF tino, appearances, and
attitudes, to have been idep tical with
those seen and recorded bv skilltul
and practical observers at New IIa
ven. At West Point, four acts or
paroxysms, as they have sometimes
been called, were especially observ-
able. The first began with a difIuse
rosy blush, just visible in the depart
ing daylight Cat 1925, local time. as
a broad bard rising from the East
and North East horizon up to and be.
yond the North Star and Alpha
Lyru, and of equal breadth through.
ont. In about ten minutes the band
had advanced its South line to Alpha
Aqui@, and had spread to tho West
and North with development oI
streamers. This continued to ad.
vance and spread until near eigh,
O'Clock, when it had become some.
what diif'used and faded.
The sccond paroxysm was in ful
= progress when next seen at about
s.3J. and continued nnti nearly min,
c'clo, k in full vigor. In this peri OF
the most observable phenomena
were as follows: A great abundance
and variety oi strcarners, principal J
from the East, North, and West
= pointing on every side apparently
to the magnetic pole; also gor
1 gcous but ever varying corona zap
: parcntly at that pole) where th
, atreamers met and terminated; also
in vast assemblage of aurora
l. strata or clouds OF various hues (rei
;. yellow, and yellowish white.) whic'
preponderated in dense accumula
}. tons low down in the Southern sky
9 where they lay like winrow Of vel
II lowish clond. entirely s're,chin
!, from East to West, and resting II
southern line or boundary, near,
) even and level, across the whol
e sky. cutting the bright star Antare'
This, with some fluctuations, ma
= be taken to have been the stationar
~ position OF that limit Tor twelve mir
N utes or more, beginning at abor
IN s:45. 1t was so well defined an
II steady, as we'll as so dense, that
y, the same was noticed in general a
~ titude, by stars or otherwise,
d places far south of the locality aboy
r. r. named, the comparison cannot bl
to settle beyond cavil the approx
u. mate hight of the auroral cloud in tn
remarkable instance. Finally,
this period there formed low dow
in the South--say about ten
ly twelve minutes before nine o'clock
is ns a single brilliant cloud, similar
texture to that above it-say eig
'' degrees long and two and half bros
"a which moved lengthwise, and alor
ro. level line from the meridian to Il
hs lis West, crossing in its course the tv
is, stars Gumms and Lambda in Il
Scorpions tail. In two minutes,
WAS afterward estimated, it NOV
his some twenty degrees, and was "a
behind the mountains. To this a
- pearance the same facilities Tor d
termining approximate hight m
Of be attributed as to the larger clio
in in above described.
rst rs The third paroxysm ended abe
IS. ten o'clock, having continued
least fifteen minutes, with q coro
= Of more gorgeous splendor than
L. preceding. For determinations
IN, hight, however, it was less valuab
Tlll Sai unless the South margin or line,
which the streams from that quar-
viii had their origin, was observed, Q
zee zee proximately or exactly, in altitu'
'"' in widely distant latitudes.
!. The fourth paroxysm was tou
D. to be in full action during the qu
'S,s ,o% ter OF an hour preceding three o'clc
at at . in iore noon OF Monday, after VIII
ION; sns it was unobserved, although in
development. 1t was less gorgeo
$; perhaps, than just bafars ten o'clo
but in regularity Of formation, q
the area and completeness OF