Aurora

Abstract

PERHAPS it may interest some of your readers to see a short abstract of the observations of aurora made here during the last months, this winter having been by far the richest in well-developed northern lights since the winter 1870–71. Beginning with the magnificent display of February 13, which lasted almost the whole night, sometimes with vivid red and green tints (it was first noted at 6h. 45m., and faded away in the moonlight between 15h. and l6h. astronomical time), and whose beams converged several times from a large part of the horizon towards the magnetic zenith (formation of corona was noted at 7h. 2m., 10h., and 13h.), we have had aurora on February 14, 15, 24, 25, March 1 (at 7h. high arch, with the highest part through α and β Cephei, 7h. 55m. corona, between 8h. and 10h. pulsating and flashing light, sometimes with apparently screw-formed motion), March 2, 3, 6 (at 10h. curtains and corona, yellow-green colours), March 24, 25, 26, 27, April 23, 24 (at 10h. 10m. curtains, yellow-green) April 25 (strong light visible through small openings in cumulo-stratus in the north). The last display was on May 1, with corona at 9h. 40m., after 10h. flashes, curtains, and beams, at 13h. beams. About 11h. there was a peculiar downward motion of reddish light near the north horizon.