April 10 and 12th. Appearance of Aurora north.
14th. At 9 p. m., an arched Aurora, about 15° high, centre north.
15th. An arched Aurora, 16° high, centre N.b.E.
16th. Appearance of Aurora, N.N.E.
19th. At 10 p. m., an arched Aurora 259 high; centre N.b.E., extending
from N.E, to N.N.W. At 11 p. m. it was 35° high, and its eastern
extremity turned back -upon itself, and appeared to dart a flash perpendicularly
towards the earth. At llh. 30' p. m. several flashes reached the zenith,
colour as usual.
20th. Appearance of Aurora through a thick fog.
27th. At 12 p. m., a segment of an arch, and several flashes, north stand
about 30° high.
29th. Several flashes of Aurora, bearing north.
30th. At 8 p. m. an arched Aurora 30° high ; centre bearing N.N.E. extremes
N.E.b.E. and N.W.b.N.
May 1st. At 12 p. m., a remarkable Aurora rose from E.N.E. like the trunk of
a tree, and spread forth branches all over the sky, but principally towards the.
South. They were composed of beams which always are distinguishable
when the Aurora is much agitated; ordinary colour.; many scattered flashes
round the horizon.
2d. At 11 p. m., an arch across the zenith.; 6° broad, and faint;' extremes
E.b.S. and W.b.N.
3d. At 10 p. m. an Aurora in rapid motion, seen through the clouds.
5th. At 11 p. m., an arched Aurora, very faint; centre N.N.E.
12th. At 12 p. m. the northern half of the sky was filled with a light
attenuated Aurora, not more brilliant than the milky way ; but flashing with
such rapidity, that the eye could not follow its motion, nor determine its form.
12th. At 8 p. m., appearance of Aurora, north.
18th. Ditto.
23rd. An arched Aurora, 15° high; centre N.b.E.
28th. Appearance of Aurora in the northern horizon.
N.B. The above descriptions were taken at the times inserted: the Aurora
no doubt often changed its form afterwards. Many of the faint arches, however,
altered only their positions in the course of four or five hours, by approaching
nearer to the zenith.
TABLE, 1.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE MAGNETIC-NEEDLE,
AT CUMBERLAND-HOUSE, HUDSON’S BAY,
JUNE II, 1820,
-By LIEUTENANT ROBERT HOOD, R.N.
I n th e m onth of F e b ru a ry ; 1820, a n A zim uth C om pass w as fixed in th e open a ir; w ith a sm all m inutely-divided
metal arc’on th e edge o f the' c a r d ; a n d th e d iu rn al v a ria tio n o f th e needle w as a scertained a s n o ted in th e following
Table. M an y in te rru p tio n s .prevented a m ore com plete series; of o b serv ation s; a n d th e p re sen t w ill serve o nly to
show th e am o u n t in g en eral, a n d th e d irection o f th e v ariatio n .
EASTERLY VARIATION.
FEBRUARY, 1820,
D,„. 9 A. M. Hood, IP . M. 4 P.M. 8 P.M. 112 P. M. Days. 9 A. M. Nd®. 1 P. M. 4P. M. 8: P. M. 12 P. M.
-0 rt 1 m , n , 0 ;
1 17 17 17 14 17 12 17 14 17 16
i 2 17 14 17 11 17 14 17 15 17 16
r 3 17 17 17 14 17 15 17 17 17 17
4 17 IS 17 14 17 13 17 17 16 45*
i 5 17 14 17 12 17 12 17 16
6 17 14 17 8 17 8 17 13 16 38*
; 7 17 13 17 ,7 17 7 17 10 17 to
. 8 17 13 17 6 17 7 17 10 17 13
9 17 14 17 ,8 17 9 17 11 17 13
10 .17 14 17 8 17 9 16 35*
11 17 14 17 6 17 4 17 8 17 32
° 17 8 17 10 12 17 13 17 8 17 S 17 10 17 12
13 17 1 7 9 1 7 7 17 13 13 17 14 17 10 17 10 17 13
14 17 16 17 13 17 8 17 11 14 17 15 17 10 17 12 17 12 17 12
15 17 17 17 8 17 9 17 9 17 9 15 17 15 17 9 17 9 17 10 17 11
16 17 17 17 13 1 7 16 16 17 15 17 9 17 10 17 11
17 17 17 17 11 17 16 17 16 17 16 17 1 7 1 5 1 7 10
18 17 17 17 10 17 9 17 10 17 10 18 17 15 17 9 17 9 17 13 17 15
19 17 16 17 8 17 4 17 12 17 16 19 ; 17 14 17 7 17 7 17 10 17 10
20 17 15 17 11 17 9 17 11 2 0 17 15 17 9 17 13 17 15
21 17 16 17 13 1.7 13 17 15 ; 2 i 17 IS 17 10 17 11 17 15
22 17 16 17 12 17 12 17 14 2 2 17 18 17 10 1 7 11
23 17 16 17 12 17 13 17 15 17 15
24 17 16 17 14 17 10 17 10 17 .13
25 17 16 17 11 17 11 17 11 17 14
26 17 16 17 13 17 12 17 11 17 11
27 17 14 17 11 17 12 17 14 17 15
28 17 16 17 12 17 13 17 15 17 15
29 17 15 17 11 17 12 17 12 17 16
See the observations at the end.