Solar Phenomenon

Abstract

As I see no record of what I witnessed on the afternoon of the 14th instant in NATURE of the 15th, I trouble you with this brief statement. At 3h. 20m. p.m. on that day I was struck by the appearance of the sun, which was crossed by a light stratus cloud of a clearly-defined outline, below which appeared what seemed a column of light of uniform width, down to the horizon, the width being somewhat less than the sun's diameter. By 3h. 30m. the definition of this parallel beam was less marked, but the sun presented to me the appearance of an oblong, suggesting three partially-superposed disks. Soon afterwards the sun was wholly obscured. The day had been cold, the temperature being never far from freezing-point in the shade. I have on former occasions, and in summer, seen the parallel beam striking upwards, once in association with a mock sun.