Journal of the Third Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West PassageParry, William Edward, Sir
History
Journal of the Third Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage
Parry, William Edward, Sir
Arctic regions -- Discovery and exploration -- British; Fury (Ship); Hecla (Ship); Northwest Passage
Late on the night of the 21st of December the phenomenon appeared
partially, and with a variable light, in different parts of the southern
sky for several hours. At seven on the following morning it became more
brilliant and stationary, describing a well-defined arch, extending from
the E.S.E. horizon to that at W.N.W., and passing through the zenith. A
very faint arch was also visible on each side of this, appearing to
diverge from the same points in the horizon, and separating to twenty
degrees distance in the zenith. It remained thus for twenty minutes,
when the coruscations from each arch met, and after a short but brilliant
display of light, gradually died away. Early on the morning of the 15th
of January, 1825, the Aurora broke out to the southward, and continued
variable for three hours, between a N.W. and S.E. bearing. From three to
four o’clock the whole horizon, from south to west, was brilliantly
illuminated, the light being continuous almost throughout the whole
extent, and reaching several degrees in height. Very bright vertical
rays were constantly shooting upwards from the general mass. At
half-past five it again became so brilliant as to attract particular
notice, describing two arches passing in an east and west direction, very
near the zenith, with bright coruscations issuing from it; but the whole
gradually disappeared with the returning dawn. At dusk the same evening,
the Aurora again appeared in the southern quarter, and continued visible
nearly the whole night, but without any remarkable feature.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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