Abstract
AURORAL ARCS ON MAR. 14 AND 16.—Auroral arcs were seen on Mar. 14 and 16 at 7 P.M. by Prof. H. Bassett and Mr. R. G. Durrant and by several other spectators at Reading. On both occasions the phenomenon presented itself in precisely the same position, but it was fainter on Mar. 16, the moon's light being stronger. The altitude of the brighter part of the arc was approximately 30° above the horizon and its breadth about half a degree. The arc stretched over an expanse from south-south-east to north-north-west or 180°. It passed below Venus, the moon, and Jupiter on one side, and between two bright stars at a considerable distance on the other. Mr. Durrant refers to the event as being an apparition of the zodiacal light, but the aspect of the latter is usually that of a glow in the shape of a cone. He alludes to Sir John Herschel's suggestion that the zodiacal light represents a denser region of planetary material consisting of the tails of comets, while Lord Kelvin considered it as the reflected light from a cloud of meteors revolving round the sun. There is very little if any distinction between these views. Mr. Durrant remarks that if the theory just mentioned still meets with acceptance, this solar crape ring must circulate just within the path of Venus, but the object witnessed in the sky at the middle of March seems to have been consistent with that of an aurora.
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