New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-14
THE NORTHERN SKY AFLAME
MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY OF THE AURORA
BOREALIS
THE HUDSON RIVER AS RED AS BLOOD FROM
THE REFLECTED HGHr-CoNNECTIoN OF
THE BIG sUN SPOT WITH THE
PHENOMENON

THE BIG sUN SPOT WITH THE
PHENOMENON.
The heavens presented a magnificent display of
tbc aurora borcalis last evening Shortly after
O'Clock it suddenly burst from the northern sky
like long. lofty banners of fire. The dingy. dark
appearance Of the heavens which usually precedes
lis appeqrance had been invisible, probably owing
IN the brlIiancv Of the moon and the starht
skies The columns Of scarlet Hight rose hSher
and higher until they almost reached me
zrnith and then sank away again 10 mere
tufts of Ere Again they spread IN nooohs oi
rlarr colorcd light almost across the noT'h"es'e'
horizon. making a sight OF magnificent beauty.
Then the columns at each end of the aurora
arch di,appcarc1. only to increase the sh''er an"
glory of the central pillars of fire lhus apparently
strengthened this pillar shot far toward the zen
ith looking like IA large Ionic column, supporting
the vault of the sky Tho iiuted column was as
perfect and regular as any ever seen III "Iec'''
tcmple But the vision was Only momeh
tarv. the column seemed to trcmhlc. ana the
ever changing aurora again assumed o'"ci
forms Near the base of thc aurora, during the
entire display, which ended at o'clock, mass
If oreeuish yellow cloud was seen stretching along
over many degrees Of the open heavens
LIKE RIVER or RED WINE.
Tho roncctiou of the crimson colors upon the
woterS Of tho North River was brilliant IN the
extreme The river seemed mass of howing
claret or a river Of blood The thousands OF lights
from the boats moving here and there
over the rivers surface and plainly Els-
HE miles AMI miles away: the piooi-nK'
waters. ire cvcr-moving, flashing columns Of fire,
made picture upon the minds Of the fortunate
observers which they will never forget.
II, aift hat mn ire
had begun it's ravagcs and had thrown IFS re-
hection upon the skics. There was for a time
some excitement in the Fire Department. and
alarms were expected at every minute But none
came and then il was supposed that the brilliant
colors were due TO burning buildings in New
Jersey.
Supcrs,itious people in the lower parts Of the
city as they ga7cd upon the fiery pillars became
frightened and frankly predicted coming evil ana
war
At the Weather Bureau on the Equitable Build
ing reports were received saying that the aurora
had been seen in various parts OF the couh-
trv but AT no place probably was
il seen 70 better advantage than IN Tie
noighborhood Of New-lork.
FFRRrARY ~ \ FAvoRITE Day roE THE NuI;oEN
Although some astronomers have cndcavorcd 70
prove certain pcrodicty in the appearance ana
rca ppcarance Of the aurora. that doc- not seem to
he certain ~ al II has been seen at various
times of the year II is worth noting. however
that the catlloguc Of tho appearance, "i the
aurora shows that it hrs appeared oiierer
ON February I3-as Er as tie rc'ori'
ao-than on any other day Inc
phenomenon appcarel WITH csreclal prli l'n'N oh
February -. 1875 February Is. l"?l; February
i3. lse?: February Is. 1855. and February 49,
1887 II is also often sen in March. The most
brillion, exhibitions or the beautiful phenomenon
are said 10 have been seen. ~ matter Of conr-
in Norway And Sweden and other northern coun-
tries The Arctic explorers have chr"nici'1' per
haps the most magnificent di~piS'
TALK WITH PROFESSOR REFS.
profcs cor John X. RceS. Of Columbia College
,i.,rcd thc pheuoncnon from tho roof of the
Dakot, apartments at Scyenty->econdSt ST and Cen
...I psrk West vlerc he lives When seen
,..a. h,- , rr,,rnc r,portcr N the Century Club
"' ., ,,. ono Of thc INST beautiful
,,or- my ,vbolc family up ~ the
.ch =, for i, was q s,lt not oftrn per
-, .. X.,.y yorllcrs Auroras are not o. fr'
! ,.,,,-rercc in thi, latitude. and
,.. ,rc visible ar generally
:,. and noorlv marked The one tonight wa
,,,i,,llr ,n,rl,cJ and The coloring was clear and
,us,i,c, The play Of the color,. to' - the Aorma
! tion changed was very interesting. Inc aurora
seemed 10 occupy the whole northwestern h''N'I'
and | SUPPOSE would have been vlSlpc III th' n"''
also had not the moon been - pf'Sn' !" '"'
onartcr 10 obscure it
| ~ How do you account for the appearance o' '''
,rr ~ this time -"
,Li j. Jre "a thc present disturbances
,no sn, ,nroras come and 60 in cycles of clever
and oro.,cntb years. the same ~ the sun spots d'
49,, !, l. .,rnosel that the two phcnomcna are
.orroctcd in some way. The spots now NIslp'
an tho sln cover a large area and are attractlhl
n,,,oh a,t.ntion from astronomers, which TIM
snIcndid aurora will heighrcn'
- Con vou give The Tribune readers some par
,,o,I,rs obout tbese present sun disturbances
~Yo don't care TO say anything for publ