NOTICES OF THE APPEARANCES OF THE AURORA,
AT FORT ENTERPRISE
EXTRACTED FROM CAPTAIN FRANKLIN’S JOURNAL.
T he following appearances of the Aurora Borealis were noted at the times
when the position of the horizontal needle was observed, and are intended to
illustrate, Table, No. II. They have been described as they appeared to the
eye, without any regard to perspective. The bearings of the terminatiohS of
the arches ot beams, are reckoned from the magnetic north towards the east
and south round the whole circle.
January 12th, 1821, midnight, a very faint arch in the zenith, lying 324°
and 144°. The sky cloudless.
I4th. At 7h. 30 p. m., the Aurora first appeared in a patch, bearing 279°,
from which darted a slender faint beam, that passed about 4° east of the
- zenith, and then instantly disappeared. A horizontal stream extended from
279 to 5 4 .elevated about 20°. At 8h. 20', a faint coruscation across the
zenith. At llh. 20, a brilliant irregular wreathed arch across the zenith,
from 2/9 to 99°, the interior motion passing rapidly from the horizon at
the former bearing, to the latter. Soon afterwards this arch twisted round, so
that its extremities were directed to 122° and 234°, the internal motion very
rapid. At llh. 30', the coruscation had removed from the zenith, and appeared
in a line parallel to the horizon, extending from 99° to 234°; At midnight,
horizontal streams from 99° to 234°, and from 279° to 234°; but the latter
had the greater elevation. The needle drawn considerably to the westward.
Just as I had left the Instrument, a flash darted from a beam 113° towards
the zenith, and instantly a different Aurora appeared tinged with the
prismatic colours, having an agitated circular motion. A few seconds afterwards,
a beam flashed from 279°, and united with that which shot from bearing
113°; and then a continuous; though irregular arch, was formed from the one
horizon to the other, and the interior motion passed rapidly from both these
extremities towards the zenith. As long as the arch continued in that direc-
Mo. III.] APPEARANCES OF THE AURORA. 555
tion, the needle pointed as at midnight; but in about two minutes, the arch
descended towards the east, and then the needle gradually returned eastward
to its zero*, in which position it remained until the coruscation had disappeared.
At lh. a.-m., Aurora visible in patches, 279° and 99°, and a beam 346°, the
needle then stood at 348° 16', having moved eastward 34' since midnight. At
9h. p.m., January 15th, the needle had attained the usual position at that hour,
the Aurora then appeared in the zenith. At midnight, a waving irregular arch
continued across the zenith from 279° to 99°, and a rapid interior motion
passed from the former to the latter direction. Motion of the needle westward.
16th. At 12h, 20'westward, faint streams from 99°, inclining to the w-est-
ward.
'20th. At llh., an arch crossed the zenith.; and at midnight, a patch appeared
54°, lying parallel to the horizon.
21st. An arch from '99° to 212°, -elevation about 10°. At -midnight, a
broad patch in the zenith. Slender beams rose from 234° and 31°, which were
prolonged to the zenith, and came almost in contact with this patch, at the
same time a low arch proceeded from 279° to 54°, Between nine and midnight,
the needle moved westward 32 minutes.
•22nd. At 9h. p.m., an arched horizontal stream from 110° to 54°, At
midnight no Aurora perceptible, yet the needle had changed its position.
‘23rd. 9h. p.m., a brilliant arch across the zenith, from 279° to 99°, composed
of slender beams, lying parallel to each other. The motion passed
from 99° -to the zenith. This arch separated in the zenith. The westward
part disappeared entirely, but a column of light remained at 99 , motion of
the needle westward. At I2h. thick hazy weather, no Aurora visible. Needle
had moved eastward.
"24th. 9h. p.m., two low arches extending from 99° to 178°. At midnight,
the coruscations were generally diffused over the upper part of the
sky; but the streams traversed the -zenith in a different direction from the
course they more frequently take, and their extremities were at 54° and 234°.
The most conspicuous beam, rising 245°, proceeded to the zenith, and curled
* ‘348° ’30', as mentioned in page 5'50.