The Aurora of September 9, 1898

Abstract

I OBSERVE, from NATURE, that an auroral display was visible in the South of England on the evening of September 9. It may interest some of your readers to know that an aurora was seen here on the evening of September 10. The display began at about a quarter to eight o'clock, and lasted for an hour or so. The whole southern heavens at first became suffused with a bright orange light low down upon the horizon, from which a few streamers issued from time to time, rising (judging by the eye) to a height of, say, 45 degrees above the horizon. When both glow and streamers had faded away, I noticed three luminous clouds, one at the zenith. The largest of these clouds increased in size, and shot forth a few streamers of light, both upwards and downwards, and all then disappeared. I have witnessed several auroral displays at Ashburton, but none like that of September 10, the distinguishing features of which were the orange glow and the luminous clouds.