miles in extent, and a number of stars were

whole range of light, which seemed many

there was an appearance of rays down the

the evening until after midnight. At times

Aurora being visible from seven o'clock in

was the grandest in appearance here, the

brightly as in Queensland. Friday night

as the Aurora did not shine so long or so

only appear to have had a tithe of the beauty,

red, the Southern Aurora. At Sydney they

ing up the heavens with a gorgeous hue of

nights, commencing after sunset, and light-

MOST of our readers saw last week, for three

day week, to the Herald, says:—

tory, who, writing on the 29th ult, last Mon-

dence of Mr. Scott, of the Sydney Observa-

the Southern Islands, we shall take the evi-

did see it testified to a similar appearance in

well as ourselves, and as some of those who

readers most probably saw the Aurora as

the length of time it appeared. As all our

Friday night by reason of its brilliancy and

sight was the general object of remark on

gence with the red hue of the Aurora. The

surface on the tower, connected by a lightning-

fair test, as there is so great an extent of metallic

of activity; this, however, cannot be considered a

the top of the tower, but could perceive no signs

wind. Hoping to detect some sensible electrical

been small, as is generally the case with a land

amount of ozone indicated by the test papers has

followed to-day by moderate S. wind. The

greater amount of evaporation than usual, and

from N. to W., accompanied by a somewhat

last two days, we have had strong winds varying

turbances as produced the Aurora. During the

they were connected with the same magnetic dis-

for such effects, but there can be little doubt that

the state of the atmosphere which could account

had been unable to point out any peculiarity in

in the workings of the Electric Telegraph. I

called my attention to some singular irregularities

minded that Mr. Cracknell had, this morning,

lighter red than the rest. I was immediately re-

were radiating streams of light brighter and of a

break to the S.S.W., and in some places there

few degrees of the horizon. There was a partial

tending in depth from the South Pole to within a

tolerably regular arch from E.S.E. to W.S.W., ex-

the rising of the sun. This red light formed a

light, similar to that which sometimes precedes

portion of the southern sky in a glow of red

afterwards I was surprised to find a considerable

the observation, and on looking out immediately

Attributing it to some distant fire, I continued

was struck with the redness of the southern sky.

of observing a transit of our Pole Star when I

nessed of the Southern Aurora. I was in the act

interest, the first specimen that I have ever wit-

" I have just been watching, with considerable

which had been clear to a great extent, became

hour, when it gradually faded away, and the sky,

o'clock, and continued visible for about half an

first noticed by me at twenty minutes after seven

conductor with the ground. The Aurora was

had been no such phenomenon occurring,"

magnitude were as distinctly visible as if there

the Aurora, I noticed that stars of the eighth

transit telescope to the most brilliant portion of

rapidly covered with clouds. On directing the

had become colder than ordinarily for the

after the storm it was noticed that the air

the lightning was very vivid. For two days

afterwards a thunder storm raged, in which

ness, the rain fell, and for about two hours

about noon, the clouds gathered in black-

closeness of the atmosphere. On Saturday,

there was an unpleasant feeling from the

In Brisbane, on Friday, the air was hot, and

lasting with slight variations for eight hours.

rays and visible stars through the Aurora,

ing, after the greater space of red light and

brought to a finale early on Saturday morn-

Scott is, we had three nights of beauty,

rora in Queensland to that spoken of by Mr.

The difference in the appearance of the Au-

The Herald has the following :—

Line 1.7.0 " It is only of late years that the laws of elec-

Line 1.7.1 tricity and magnetism have been studied, that

Line 1.7.2 anything like a rational exposition of the phe-

Line 1.7.3 nomena of the Aurora has been afforded. That

Line 1.7.4 it was connected with the magnetic peculiarities

Line 1.7.5 of the earth was indicated by the fact that its

Line 1.7.6 first appearance in the sky was generally in the

Line 1.7.7 form of an arch, and that the crown of the arch

Line 1.7.8 was in the line of the magnetic meridian of the

Line 1.7.9 observe. This, however, is not always the case,

Line 1.7.10 and Captain Sabine mentions instances where he

Line 1.7.11 has observed it to be otherwise. Among

Line 1.7.12 the most patient observers of the phe-

Line 1.7.13 nomena of the Aurora was the late

Line 1.7.14 prince of French astronomers, M. Arago. He

Line 1.7.15 set himself particularly to mark the occurrence of

Line 1.7.16 Auroras, and the contemporaneous agitation of

Line 1.7.17 the magnetic needle. The needle is not always

Line 1.7.18 disturbed in the presence of Aurora, but it sympa-

Line 1.7.19 thises with it at spots far removed from the scene

Line 1.7.20 of its visibility. The Aurora, though only

Line 1.7.21 visible at certain places, is not a merely local

Line 1.7.22 phenomenon like a shower of rain, but is con-

Line 1.7.23 nected with a movement of the entire magnetic

Line 1.7.24 condition of the earth. It would be premature

Line 1.7.25 in the present state of science, to assert that

Line 1.7.26 every Aurora would make its existence known in

Line 1.7.27 every part of the world by its effect on the

Line 1.7.28 magnetic needle, but there can be no doubt that

Line 1.7.29 it does in this way telegraph itself far and wide.

Line 1.7.30 The manifestation of Aurora in Australia has

Line 1.7.31 been observed to synchronise with movements of

Line 1.7.32 the needle in Paris, and it has been supposed that

Line 1.7.33 the connection is not accidental. For ten years

Line 1.7.34 M. Arago patiently watched with a microscope

Line 1.7.35 the movements of the magnetic needle in its ob-

Line 1.7.36 servatory at Paris, till the accumulated result

Line 1.7.37 convinced him that in respect of declination, in-

Line 1.7.38 clination, and force, the needle moved contem-

Line 1.7.39 poraneously with Aurora. When he noticed the ac-

Line 1.7.40 customed agitation of the needle, he would venture

Line 1.7.41 to predict that there was an Aurora somewhere.

Line 1.7.42 " Long experience," he says, " taught me that

Line 1.7.43 great oscillations at hours when the needle is

Line 1.7.44 almost always stationary are a nearly certain in-

Line 1.7.45 dication of the existence of an aurora." He often

Line 1.7.46 had to wait a long while before he heard of any

Line 1.7.47 verification of his predictions, and sometimes he

Line 1.7.48 never got any at all. He could not prove that