The Aurora

Abstract

I HAD not the good fortune to see the very unusual phenomena which took place during the aurora of Nov. 17. It was, however, well seen by four of the students of this College, Messrs. Sykes, Wildeblood, Thornhill and Wackrill. Although you are doubtless inundated with letters on the subject, I send a short account of the observation, as such an opportunity of determining the height of an auroral light very rarely occurs. The commencement of the movement of the “Whitehead-torpedoshaped” streak of light does not appear to have been noticed by them; it passed however just below the moon, one observer thinks that its upper edge just grazed the lower edge of the moon. The light when close to the horizon bore due southwest, a position which has since been verified by bearings taken by a prismatic compass. The spot where the observers stood is, by the new ordnance map in lat. 51° 25′ 57″ N., and long. 0° 34′ 5″ W.