Aurora Borealis

Abstract

THE auroral display of Friday, the 12th inst., referred to in last week's issue of NATURE, would seem to have been visible over a wide area. Between 9.30 and 10 p.m. I observed it at Boppard, on the Rhine, a few miles above Coblence. The streamers were clearly defined, but presented no unusual features, being merely rays of whitish light which slowly dissolved as the moon rose above the crest of the range of hills running along the right bank of the river. On the previous evening I was at Strassburg where, owing, I suppose, to the gas and electric lights, I took the greyish appearance of the northern horizon to be nothing more than the usual light in that quarter at this season. Further south, in Switzerland and Austria, auroræ were seen on both nights. As to “the unusual time of year for such a display,” I may mention that on Sunday, August 2, 1891, I witnessed a brilliant aurora from the Deck of the R. M. S. Teutonic, in latitude 48½° N., longitude 30° W. It varied considerably in intensity, and continued to do so for half an hour up to 10 p.m.