New Britain herald., 1920-03-23
AURORA BOREALIS
 GREAT SPECTACLE
Northern Lights Most Brilliant
 in Years

Did you see the northern lights last night?
 Of course you did. And after you had stood out in front of the house a 1 little while, putting a crick in your neck watching Auroras fanciest win dow dressing within memory, you ran in to telephone two or three of your pet friends not to miss it.
 Then you hurried back to see Au- rora throw her fairy sheets of melting hues and colors recklessly across the sky, only to have the telephone bell call you back.
 Have you seen the northern lights?"
 "Yes, inded. Isn't it just wonder ful?" And then you thought of two or three other dear ones that oughtn't t to be left out, and telephoned to them.
 Telephone Lines Busy.
 And everybody was doing the same thing No wonder the telephone operators were a bit hurried and per haps peeved. They didn't even know what the rush was about, much less see the electrical display that brought forth exclamations of admiration from everybody who was fortunate enough to witness it.. All that they knew was that the public suddenly got excited over something or other, and either wanted somebody else they knew to get excited also. or perhaps wanted to find out what it was all about, or what it sgnified.
 Accordingly most everybody did some telephoning early last evening. Many of the calls came in to the newspaper offices, where experts on the subject were immediately elected to explain the phenomena to the public.
 Signalling Mars.
 Most of those seeking information merely wanted 10 know what the dis play poctended, if it were a sign Of anything. Some, however, did not realize just what was going on. One woman suspected the scientists in this section of making a nocturnal attempt to signal to Mars, and queried concerning the success or failure of the project. But everybody enjoyed it, even those who were a bit fright ened, perhaps, before they discovered what the display really was.
 Dazzling in Variety.
 Streamers of red. green and white were predominant, but their rapid SulII1nS "ONe d cuIIdIll eAIlplllIlS kaleidoscopic succession every pos sible shade. It seemed as though some celestial giant with pigments of a million hues was painting straight lines on heavens quickly moving can- vas. Dazzling in variety and bril- lance. the color shadingS nevertheless never offended the esthetic sense, sol soft were the transitions from one tone to another. And this was true despite the fact that each streamer was divided from it's neighbor by an edge as sharp as a knife blade.
 Not only was the display remark able for its brilIiance and endurance, but it manifested practically all the types of aurOral forms. Observers noted the auroral art combined with the so-called auroral curtain, the wavy auroral bands, the rays and an imperfect corona at the zenith with rays emanating from the center. This last type took the form of @ bright ellipticaI nucleus with dark center and with bright rays straining outward. Although the corona was not apparent until late in the evening and then only faintly. it was sufficient ly discernible for complete identitica- ton.
 An outstanding feature of the dis play was the regularly folded curtain effect produced, according to Prof. Willis l. Milham of Williams college, by the perspective of the earthly watchers. who | view the vertical streamers at an angle. It was as if d vast curtain of changeable silk, evenly folded, each fold and crease re- vealing a different and more subtle color, had been substituted for nights usual drab canopy.
 Phenomenon Felt Early.
 Although to the average layman there was nothing of an unusual na ture apparent in the heavens until night came on, the presence of the phenomenon was felt early in the day by workers in the great electri- cal systems employing the one-wire current. Prof. Milham explained this by stating that inasmuch as the disturbance which produces the northern lights is d violent electrical discharge in the upper atmosphere this electrical force seeks to re-es- tablish the former equilibrium by making a circuit, a return by way of the earth. This unusual earthly electrical flow. corresponding with that in the upper atmosphere. tends to CounteraCt the normal current which is employed in our mundane systems.
 Prof. Milham of Williams declares that the light rays observed could be produced experimentally by the introduction of an electrical current int, I.sC hoe INl>