The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-01
SECRET orzHE AURORA BonEA11s.
Recent Dl.ooverie. Explained.

The London Spectator has for some months
distinguished itself by series of astronomical
articles, combining full scientific information
with popular interest. The latcst is the fol-
lowing, published in that paper on October 0,
and explaining some recent discoveries of i'm
portance, tending to explain the true nature
of the Northern Lights
Men Of science have long folt that strange
secret lay hidden in the brilliant folds of the
auroN. The magic arch, with its pointed
streamsrs shifting silently but swiftly across
tho heavens, pulsating mysteriousy US though
Illuminated by the titfillly changing glow of
some concealed furnace, and rendered sur.
passlngly beautiful by the brilliancy of its col
ors, had always had strange charms for mon oc
thoughtful mind. And gradually series of Ia
boriOn researches had revealed tho laws which
associate this beautiful apparition with dis
earh and mot CT WHY ThGe the
habitudcs OF the solar system itsclf. But re-
Gently discovery has been made which Is
even more remarkable than any which had
ever before rewarded the labor Of physicists
q discovery at once instructive and perpleX-
Ing, revealing n bond Of union between the
aurora and phenomenon hitherto thought to
be quite different In character, but leaving us
still to learn what the exact nature Of that
bond OF union may be. Let us consider what
had been learned respecting auror1.l displays
and their relation to the cartf's economy
We had occasion lately to point out sudden
disturbance In the sun In 1859 which had been
presently followed by Intense magnetic action,
the whole electric system of the Garth culver,
ing, 80 to speak, under the influence of the
Bolar forces cduced by the disturbance. And
we mentioned that among the signs of this
magnetic action brilliant displays of the auro-
raj strcamcrs had been witnessed In both hem
isDheres on the night following the solar dis
turbance. This circumstance teaches us the
true character of the aurora as strikingly as
any which astronomers and physicists had
patiently been gathering together during the
past half century. We learn ut once tiiat q
relation aubslsts between the aurora, terres-
trial magnetism, and the central luminary of
our scheme.
And even IL we were to pause here, we
should iasvc learned enough to Indicate the
significance end Importance of tho aurora.
Our earth, We may be sure, Is not the only re-
ciptent or that mystic Influence which rouses
INTO activity tho phenomena VIC term mag
ncuc. over the whole realm which itHIlCs,
Inc central orb sends forth the strange cleo
trlc impulses. When our skies are Illuminated
ny the lnnglc strcaIncrs, we may be sure that
those OF Venus and OF Mars, Of Jupiter and or
saturn, nay even the skies of those unseen
or1s which travel fur out in space beyond the
paths OF Uranus and Neptune, arc nc up with
alirOral displays. When once IL has been
SHOWN that we owe Onr anrOras to solar nc
lion, we recognize the cOsmlcal character OF
the dlspIay, and that, In scene, the terrestrial
magnetism on which 1t depends is q bond Of
affinity between our earth and its sister Orbs.
But while VIC were thus taught the true sig
nificance or The aurora, we wore left IN doubt
as to the way IN which tho solar action aroused
tho electric luminosity In tho upper regions OF
our nir. We could not even tell ut whpt cleva-
ton the light was suspended aoove our earth.
The most eminent physicists differed in tho r
Views as to the possibility of learning where
tho magic strcamers really wavo when We see
them most ,tinotly, Wbilo Arago had held
that 10 attempt 70 measure tho height of the
aurora was as futile as to attempt TO measure
tho height Of rainbow, Sir John Herschcl
considered that precisely tho Same laws of
measurement might bo applied Il, tho aurora
1 Ss to any object raised high above the earth.
Wne IN, point, however, was well determined.
me quroral lights arc undoubtedly 10 be as-
Sri6sd To- electric action taking place at yory
considerable height, where the air is very rare.
in9eSd IT became, therefore, question
W, ,waeher .t anything could be learned by analyz.l
ing the. auroral light, as to the condition 6f
teas eai y particular part Of our atmosphere In,
Hllcn the electric Bction takes place. "a
!! spec cHoscoPic aSaI Iysis, that Strhdge aud,
se .psyss11I 'yssnsnS,ass nS has
tSs sIs ss sSsS ssSSs 4Ss
as3 s ~ w fst as 8 4 sof'