The Aurora Borealis by Daylight

Abstract

I HAVE been expecting ever since the great display of Tuesday, Oct. 25, to see some statement that the Aurora was visible on the afternoon of that day. I was in Huntingdonshire, about four miles from Kimbolton, at the time, and being out of doors at half-past four P. M., saw a remarkable pale luminous appearance some 25° above the horizon and almost due east. At this point there were two arcs of faint white lines, one above the other, both radiating outwards with a number of short points. The breadth of the upper arc (which was rather the widest) might be from twelve to twenty times the apparent diameter of the moon. It was of course broad daylight at the time, and the sky was perfectly clear and cloudless for a long distance round these patches of light. They were visible for at least ten minutes, brighter and fainter alternately, and were seen by a friend as well as myself. I was unfortunately called away, and prevented from watching them while the sky became darker. After dark (at 5.30) they had disappeared, but the dark irregular circle mentioned by Mr. Grove, from which the streamers radiated, was extremely conspicuous. It did not strike me at the time that the appearance at 4.30 was likely to have any special interest. But as it seems that the greatest disturbance of the telegraphs happened before the evening display of the aurora, it may perhaps be of use to record that it was also visible in the latter part of the afternoon.