The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-04
THE SPLENDOR In TEE SKY.
Magnificent Display Of the Aurora Borealis Last
Nigkt-The Heavens Irradiated with Volumes
ofLight-Is the Coming Comet Exciting
ANY Influence on the Earth ?!
Beware the 18th Of August"

Last evening. at about eight O'Clock. the citizens
Of New York were astonished by the appearance in
the skies Of the Northern Lights or Aurora Bore
alls. These bodies have so often been witnessed
before that they would not have excited any furry
by their approach our earthly ATTITUDES last
evening were 1t not for the fact that well-known
and most scientific astronomer named Plantamorer
about four months since prophesicd that comet
would strike the American Continent at
about eleven O'Clock of the forenoon OF the
18th Of August 1872. Science day by day becomes
more positive and exact, and statement like this
which two hundred years ago might have been
couched In mysterious phrases and given us as an
inspiration direct from heaven, is now made certain
by the skill and celebrity of the scholar, who mani
tests his theory actual study 1t Is possible to
laugh and be incredulous, and yet incredibity
may be mistakes therefore all people in Europe
and Amortization 1t Is to strike In Europe at four
O'Clock the same day, making the time difference
should prepare for the hour OF doom.
The origin OF the aurora borealis Is simply this,
speaking sensibly-It ia caused by the retracJion
OF the rays Of the sun upon the vast fields OF ice
which line and ILL up the shores OF Labrador,
Behring StralTs and the Hudson Bay Territory.
Last night the aurora shone in the northern SKY
frequently appears in different and far more
beautiful form Streams and flashes OF ruddy light
unsophisticated, who are absent nom their domi-
Giles by inducing the belief that possibly their home
ste2ds are wrapped In flames.
In the Southern hemisphere these lights bear the
name OF Aurora Australs, and 10 u in southern
latltudes where this phenomenon exhibits itself
in its most sublime magnfcence. To many
proved life-saver by guiding him on his way with
Its reiulgences. One Of the many wondrous
excited much discussion and argument;
the result OF the latter has been that Swans have
decided 1t is the refractiOn OF sunlight upon ce and
few men, except such visonar!es as Plantamour,
or persons who believe in the millennium, will
It ls said that the nebulous matter like that
which furnishes the meteoric showers, or the
zodiacal light, and Is known to exist in the plan
displays. Instead OF northern lights, the aurora
boreas should be called Polar lights. They appear
In the Northern Hemisphere at regular intervals,
generally soon alter sunset, and often like a
twilight, continued into the night; some
times In the form OF cloud, the upper
IKE a rainbow and often like fog bank. When
the night advances the light becomes lighter.
Pencils and streamers Of light shoot hither and
thither and appear In unexpected places. The
whole sky IL alive with an unsteady notion or un-
dulates rapidly with motion like that OF grass
aurora is from tile deck OF ship at sea, when the
spectator is lying nat upon his back on the deck On
ese on ocn the sc 81
Ones ideas OF space, distance, progress and drec-
ton are as confused as If floating amid dense
assume various colors, having different shades OF
green, orange, gray, red and purple
Last evening tne spurs anu streams or LRnt IN
the heavens to the north were OF pale white or
evanescent color great many people when they
hear or read about this aurora borealis will ask
each other, Who was this Aurora" In answer to
this the HERALD Will state that Aurora was re-
spectacle Greek female, Of NEUROLOGICAL probabit,,
and was the goddess OF the morning. Besides this,
she had her marriage lines to snow that she was the
wife OF Astraus and the mother OF the Winds
Aurora took to her embraces Tithonus, son Of
Laomedon, King OF Troy, and gave britain conse-
queuce to Memnon.
Sometimes she appears in sarron- colored
globe with a torch In her hand, and sometimes she
Is represented a. lymph wearing garland and
drawn by winged horses. The display last night
lasted about three hours.