Auroræ: Their Characters and SpectraCapron, J. Rand
History
Auroræ: Their Characters and Spectra
Capron, J. Rand
Auroras
The Rev. S. J. Perry observed at Stonyhurst four lines, and, on examining
one of the curved streamers, found the red line even more strongly marked
than the green. A magnetic storm was observed to be at its height from 4
to 9 P.M. of the same day.
[Sidenote: J. R. Capron’s observations.]
With a Browning 7-prism direct-vision spectroscope I saw the green line
in all parts of the Aurora, attended with a peculiar flickering movement.
I did not see the other lines.
[Sidenote: His catalogue of lines up to Nov. 9, 1872.]
In a letter to ‘Nature,’ dated November 9th, 1872, I catalogued the lines
observed up to that date as follows:—
1. A line in the red between C and D. W.L., Ångström, 6279.
2. A line (the principal one of the Aurora) in the yellow-green, between
D and E. W.L., Ångström, 5567.
3. A line in the green, near E (corona line?). W.L., Alvan Clarke, jun.,
and Backhouse, 5320.
4. A faint line in the green, at or near _b_. W.L., Barker, 5170.
5. A faint line or band in the green, between _b_ and F. W.L., Barker,
5020 (chromospheric?).
6. A line in the green-blue, at or near F. W.L., Alvan Clarke, jun., 4850.
7. A line in the indigo, at or near G. W.L., Alvan Clarke, jun., 4350.
8. The continuous spectrum from about D to beyond F.
[Sidenote: Dr. H.C. Vogel’s observations of Auroral lines. Spectrum
described.]
Dr. H. C. Vogel, formerly of the Bothkamp Observatory, near Kiel,
and since of the Astrophysical Observatory, Potsdam, made several
observations of the Auroral lines, October 25th, 1870. Besides the bright
line between D and E, he found several other fainter lines stretching
towards the blue end of the spectrum on a dimly-lighted ground. February
11th, 1871, he observed the same set of lines, and an average of six
readings gave 5572 as the W.L. of the Ångström line. February 12th gave
5576 as Dr. Vogel’s reading, and 5569 as Dr. Lohse’s. April 9th gave
5569, and April 14th 5569. The Aurora of April 9th, 1871, was exceedingly
brilliant, so that micrometer measurements of the lines were taken. The
spectrum consisted of one line in the red, five in the green, and a
somewhat indistinct broad line or band in the blue. The lines are thus
described:—
[Sidenote: Table of lines.]
Table of Dr. Vogel’s lines. Aurora, April 9th, 1871.
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