John Pointer describes the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, that appeared in England’s nig
John Pointer describes the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, that appeared in England’s night sky on March 6, 1715/16. He states that their appearance was a “very surprizing phænomenon” that far south in Europe. His description of the Aurora Borealis is as follows:“In the North-West was observ’d a small cloud…having something Particular in its Colour. After some little time it began to labour and curl, and make many extraordinary Motions and involving Turns within itself. In 5 or 6 Minutes…it separated itself into long and broad Streams of Light, Coruscation, or Fulgor, issuing out of the aforesaid darkish Cloud…resembling the Beams of the Sun Setting in a drizling Evening…”Pointer describes the scientific reason for the Aurora Borealis as “nitrous and sulphoreous particles being exhal’d in thin Vapours by the Heat of the Sun, and other Stars into the Middle Region, were by Degrees condens’d by circumambient Clouds together with the Coldness of the Region, till at last they became a strong compacted Body”. According to the Aurora Forecast at University of Alaska Fairbanks, the Aurora Borealis occurs when the Sun’s electrically charged particles enter Earth’s atmosphere and hit molecules and atoms of gas, usually oxygen and nitrogen.Images from:Pointer, John. A rational account of the weather, shewing the signs of its several changes and alterations, together with the philosophical reasons of them … Oxford: printed by L. L. for S. Wilmot…, 1723.Call Number: QC859 .P75 1723Catalog Record: https://bit.ly/3603nT6 -- source link
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