1716 - account of the the lights seen in the air

8/13/2019 1716 - Account of the the Lights Seen in the Air.

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An Account of the Late Surprizing Appearance of the Lights Seen in the Air, on the Sixth ofMarch Last; With an Attempt to Explain the Principal Phaenomena thereof; As It Was Laidbefore the Royal Society by Edmund Halley, J. V. D. Savilian Professor of Geom. Oxon, andReg. Soc. SecrAuthor(s): Edmund HalleySource: Philosophical Transactions (1683-1775), Vol. 29 (1714 - 1716), pp. 406-428Published by: The Royal SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/103079.

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;> ,z ex p exp n r nc wpazhrofegorf Gcom o-xon) v7ad egSoc. Secr.H E Royal ovietylzavingecelved ccountsromj[. verymanyParts fGreatBtita, of tlle unufiualI ightswhichhaveof iare ppearedn tlleSeavens;vrerepleafedo fignifyheirDefireso me, that -ould drawup a generalRe ationof theFa2 and explainmore tlargefomeConceptions f mineT had propoSerio themabout tfi as Seemingo fomeof thcm to:-rendertollera4

ble Folutsonfthe veryfirange ndfi3rprizing-thxnceneasvllereof. The Deliresof the Soriet}havingnvith e tlleforceof Commandsi lEatlnordecline he Task : ontypremif1nghat fs xndeliveringlleEtioloayof a MacZter fo uncommotz,e:7er efore eenby 2ny elf, norfulXly dcScribed y gny eicherof the Ancicatsor^NIodernspI fa21voanEwerlleirExpedEationr my own Defiressyer wtshopeda goodHi loryof tlle-Fa#3 edLced artlytI1eunitoxmReRationsf creuilZle erSons,or from hetjetrers f fiuch,maynot be unacceptableo the Curiousand may perhapsexcite hE SotiXs 0ff fonle moreablePMetearolegffo a morefatlsfadoryEnquiry4Tlle AcZcoUftof (llis Appatance take as follows

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, .of theHea^7enndScarceenDegreeshlghJtheEdgesxvllereofereringedwith a reddifl} etiowlike as iftheMoonhadbeen11id ehindc, there roleveryongslumlinousaysorStreakserpendicularo aheHorizon}fomeof which eem'd earlvto aScendo theZenithOPrefentlyfrer,hatreddi Cloudwasfwiftlypropaga-tedalon$ heNortherniorlzon nre he?s.:Wand itillfartllerWeAerly; and lmmcdsat-elyexWt fortl]ts Raysafter she amemannerrotn ll karrs,noas zereno+vthere,thy obServingo RuleorOrder ntheirrting-Manzrf thefeRays{ecnlingoconcurearheZenitllgfiormd-llerea Corora,r ltnagewhich rewheAttentionofallSpedatorsj hoaccordingo theireveral onceptionsmade erycliffietingeSemblauceshereof;butyxvhichonlparedogethershofehat as*tt nor,may reilcomprchendfterwhatmannertappearedSome ikenocd- t to thatRepreSentationf Glor wheewtth ourPainc-rsn ChurchesurroundheHoly tamef God. 0t11er$to thofieadiating tarrswherewithheBrealls f theZ-nightsf t1lemoftNobltOrder f -^lle rterareador-nede Many ompared-itothetwoncaveft1


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xsto appear, t was feena little to theStortllwardsf rlleSZenithsut by degrees declining towards tilt :Sout11 thelong Strs of Llght, which arofe from ali Parts of tlleNortlzlern zSemicircIc- of the Horiton, Weemed to meet to-gether not mucll above the Head of Caor or theNOrtilern twin9 and vllere foon difappeared

After tlle tSraInspetssof tllis aScending Vapour wasover, tlle Corosa we have been defcribitzg appeared nonzorc ; but fiill) witlzout any order as to Times or Place,or Size, luminous Radii like tlle former continued toarlfeperpendiculariy, now oftner and again feldomers nowherel nonv rlzere, now longer now illorter Nor did tileyproceed at firft OUt of a Cloud, but oftner wouldemerge once out of the pure Sky: whicll was at thattime more than ordinary fcrene and Rill. Nor were theya11 of thc fame Form. MQR f them feemed to endin a Pointupwards,ikeeredaCones othersiketrutl-cateConesor Cttlinders,o muchreSembledl1eongTailsofComets, hatatfirftGghtheymigllt weil be ca-ken for fuch. Agains fome of ttleSe llays svould continlleviElbleor feveral Minutes; when others, and thofe tilemuch greater part, 3u& {hew'd themSelves and died a\ ayOSome feem'd to have little Motion, and to itand as itwerefix'damonglleStarsswhiSll tllerwith a very-per-ceptibleTranflation ovedfromE:aIto (VeR Jnder11ePole, contraryotheMotionof theHeavets; bywhichmeanslleywouldometimescemo runtogether}nd



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,formed heRefemblancef a verybriglltCreps0csla-Tbat tlliS wastheStateof tlliS Phjnogesonn tllt firlHoaxrss abundantlyonfirmedytlleunanimousonfentandconcurringeRimony f feveral eryworthyPerfons oways nclinedQ dtCEiY@ ForbytheLetterswehave eceivedrom lmoR ll theextreamarts f rheKingdom,heres foundery ittleDiSerenccn tlle DefcriptionromwhatappbaredeLordotsndOxfordwunleSshatntheNorth fSglJnd and nSaotland,heLightfeemedWomewhatfirongerndbrighter.HithertolamforcedO relateheObServationsf othersswhereinX earmany erymaterial ircumfiancesmaybeomitted andailuredlyamnota ittleconcern'dthatIhadnoNotice f lliS Matter,illbetteenNineandTen of tlzeClock, beingat thatTimeat a FriendisHouSeyndnoways uEpediinghatpaRwitboutDoorsButupon thefirPtnfbrmationf the thing,we immediately anto tlleWindows,wllicllhapucdo regardtheSobth ndSogtbWeJZ9arter;andfoonperceitdthatthough he Skywasseryclears et it was ingedwitha firangeortof Light,SQ that the fimailertarswere Earceo bef&en,andmuch sit is wllenheMoonof fourDays old appears afterTwilighr And whilfl;we regarded he Beavens with attention) we perceiveda very thin Vapour to parSeforeus, which arofe fromthepreci{eafl art ftheSorxzonaCcendingbliquc-lyXoas o leave he ZnlthaboutXS or woDegrees-o*the orthwardSuthewiftnefs@-wlereritht procee-s fr dBd



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in theNorth;hegreatBlacknefsmanifeRlyroceedingfromheNteiglzbourhoodftlleLightwhichwascolleEtedabo:7et. Forthe ighthadnowput ona Form uitediSerentromall thatwe ha57eitherroeXibed,andllad athionedt felf into theShapeof twoLAminx orStreaks,yingnaPof1tionarallelO theHorizon, hoSeEdgeswerebut ill terminated Th-eyxtendedllem-felvesrom he1f.byE.to theNorth # and Tereachabout Degree road; lleundermoRboutight rnineDegrees igh,and heotherabout ouror 6veDegreesover-it;hefekept heirPlacesoralong ime,andmadetheSkyfolight,that believe Manmight afilsraveread nordinaryrint y theEleXphercofBWhil(twefood aAonifhedt ehis urpriziog ight,andexpeEtinghatwasflurthero scome,,heNortllernEndof theupperxmi7aXbyegreesbentdownwards,andat lengthloFed itlltheEndof theother hatwasunderts foas Q Ut Up Qn theNortllfldenintermedtateSpace,wllich lillcoatinacdpen o theEaS. No;longafter his. nehe aid ncludedipace, efawa greatNumberofmall olumnsrWhLXithRS-treaRso appearuddenly,etXer2-tol:eElorion,Xldea-chingomtheoneLaRnina to ttle otiler; which-altanel$7ifappearingneretOO quck fortheJEye, tllat ^ecoudnor udgewhethereheyaroWeironheUr2derLo fiell fron eheUpper9butbytheir uddeniLerativls theynadelucaaslApr-pwarance,,smightwellbctaker oreSelubleheCoXflieQsof Metsn-BattleF Andff X



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tllem:Nerwere lleyofanydeterminedigureslltbothin Shape ndSizemightproperlyecomparedO mallCloudsllumsnatedythefullMoon,butbriglzter.lStiotonga-fterhis,fromaboveheaforefaldwoLa.nsin, there rofea verygreatP7ra?widal igure,ika Spevr,arp at theTop, whofeSideswere nclined OeachotherwithanAngle f aboutouror&veDegrees,andwhicheemedoreach ptotheZenith rbeyondt.Thiswas arried ithaneqSuablendnotvery lowMoXtion, rcymheN.E.wheret arofe,nto he.NFW.whereit diSappeared,iillkeepingn a perpendicularituation, orn?eryeart; ardpaffilnguccelElvelyveralltlleStars f theLittleBear,idnoteSacethemallernes nthe-Tail, hichrebutoftlleFiftllMagnitude[uchwastlleextream arityndPerfipicuityf theMatter hereZof it con&{tedsThisfingleBeamwas fo fartemarkabiebovealltllofetharora greatwhilebefore adpreceededt, ortllat c)llowedc,that f theSituationhereofmongheCircalmpolarStashadat tllefame nAant eenaccurate-ly noted, forExample,at Lond-on-ndOxford, gho;;eDiSerencefLongitgies ztellkno-wn,e might be ena-abledtherebywithfomeccreaintyo pronounce. yitsdiverftast p e s concerninghe Diflance ndHeigiltthereof,- thicll tcrendoubtedlyery reaE, Cllo) aS yetwrean nowaysdeternlinellen* I3u;s tllisPhztlomcqnonfoundall tllofe tllat reskill'dn the()bServation>f rlleEJeavensnprepared,ndunacquasntedithwhat

wa.s



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- -ments fa mucb3rgeregment,itllan1nter57alf darkSkybetween,ut hiswastfoxceedingaitstndunceFtain hat cou}dmake oproperRtmatehereofwI was eirye&rousohav$een owllisPllxnomenofswould ndXndattendedt Etiill-nearThreentheMorning,andtherifing f s heMoon:butforabove woHoursogetheritsd nomannerfChangen it


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,andblack,as ifallthatesot{kLlght hathad heo7'dcfelfbefore,ladbeenhen olledrednto hoWewoStreaks.Onlyat beeweentlleWeft ndNorthwe{tndnowhereelSe,outofaBrightneSsdjoiningo vlleHorizonj herearoSeonicalBeamsasM,L,N, after hefamemanneasaefrR.YVhilReSood ooking n,theStreak Dat tS NorothernEndbentdownward,nd oynedwiththe Undea B at E, and includedheSpaceDC EJ B, which{tillkeptcpenat theotherEnd owardsheEaft. Andinthemeanime,outof tlzereryclearSky, fome umivnoUsSpots, fituated ndfiguredas in tlle SchemetG,G,G,G, prefcntedhemfelveso theEye,in ColourmllchiketbeLamin. Thefedid not-hew hemSell7esall togeeller,but came fuccelvely, yet fo as tWO 0tthree f themwere -feent a time;anda-sheir omingwas n-Ranta-neous,otheywentawaynaMoment. Atthefameime likewife, hefel7eralittlewhite;Columnsmarked, F, Ff F, occupiedhatPartof theSpaebe-tweerstheewoStreaksext tO E,andbyvheir uddenndveryirregular otion,andehevaniShingffomewvililR

others t vlle anaeimeemerged, aveoccaGonO theConceptionf thofehat ancy'dattlesfougiltntheAirLalklyrom bout hemiddlef CD, there roWeudden-ly a ConeorObelisk f a palewhitiffiLigilt greaterthatl nywe lad er een?sff whIchmovingromEaRto We09svitlla MotionufficientlyeylularXasranilattdto X, in hc North Eef,ndhere-difsppeared.That



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dianunderhePole. Andehacwemigilt ilE bettev eulider(toodn wilatfollows,wehavemadethis tortRecapitulations annex'dos andexplicativef, theScheme, bich ouldbynomeansecontrivedo anEwerthewonderfislVarietyhisPhtnomenontforded;inceeven heEyeof noonef1ngle )bSertersas ufficientofoliow t in tbeSuddennefsndFrequencyf itS AlteZratlons,Thus ar haveattemptedodefcrtbehatwas een,andam zeartilyorry canafayo moreas tO the firftandmoRutprizingarthercof, hichhoweverrIghtfulandamazingrmighteemothesulgarBeholder,ouldhavebeenO me amoAagrecablendwiM'dorSpedca-cle ; forI then houldhavecontemplatedrolr3is orglisalltheSeveralorts f Mcteors remetnbero llavehiethertoheard rrdad f Thiswastheontyone l hadnotasyetSeen, ndof which begano deXpair,incetxscertaint hathnot llappengdo anyremarkableegreein thisParc f Englvadince wasborn;noris theIikerecordedntheEnglip) nnals-fincerileearof ourLordx574, thatisaboveOneFlundrednclForty earsagosintheReignof QlleenElizabeth. llensas wearetoltbytheHiRoriansf thoSeimeS, CJmbdendStow,EyewwitneSes f fufficientreditJor tWO NightsfuccelEvety, wizt on thes4thandIsth of Novem6erllat Year,nzucl] tlze famewonderfullnomenawereSeen,withaImofi 11llefameCircumftancWsasow Nor



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from foreigni u t i l o r s u e l e a r n w that in thc \TearXy7yithe fame Pas -iterepeatednBrabv7ftfiz onthe X3 Aof FeJr;try nd^8thof 3eptemberandfeenanddeCcrtbeuby CoraelixsGestnasProfeffiorf Medicinen rlle t3Xliverfity f Lotai>,andSonof G2nmaFrif* tlle lMatlleXmatzexan.ECe,na 13i(courSele wvroref the l'rodigicsof thoWexmes afterieveralll-l5odingPrognollicksfillusvery properlydefc-ribeslle Csp0td -and woroaahat 11efaw in the Cbvfinxas he calls t) of FebrBAre F?wla afilxdecxnqxe J^4rgsffis H/?is etfianwis bnorisnJgagrvrezzlWr4 BsreJparte JverJetnXnXtXsixxRXflX2ses a pt[iA *. iale#bantxr 'ntisCe} & Xtg;*;2X;factaznorbeesa2verforfirabila Fromhencetss nawWr t nit4eft



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rae z rs n e a gooARronomer,nd Iilil morefanzousor having31adhehonourto be tlle greatZbpler'sutor in the Sciences)thatatBEnxn ntheCountry fWirterg in Geravysrlzefe hJfawJta,slle likewifeiilesrilem,*vereeenbyiL}i*nfelflloefsghane^7enimeswithinheSpacef twelveMsontlls.The frS of the{WesndsmoRcnfiderablegellcur. on t1le Sery am& 9ay of E -q0nttl Wit11ours wzz.srxSgssdalleExchof Marahsndsrasattetlded ithmucllthefameCircutmRancesshictlfior revityfakI omit. Andagainhefamellings were fecn n a veryextraordinarymanneron the gthof AWrilnd toth ofeetssber bllosving: blltxna eSs degrec} n the6tAofSpr; t lJ?of SeptDera26th of Dece7wbtnd t f5thoff Septer3DeruSneWds han7eeen-morc onXidelsblehanthey then appeare: teCAutoe lle oon being near rlleFuJ1 secelirlsyiced a11he faitlter igbcsoOf a1Ithinehoxve?cro cne s nzentoned*our innalse h57ebeen een nEgzads nor lrxany ot 1cr lacethat t-canEnd fuchvvasthenegledofcurious attersntheSe


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. . ?publiShedn I7X0, we learn hat in the fameYear x7o7}bothonehew4thof 9^an#Xr7? andx8th of FiErxary>Z.fltofometlling f this kind svas feen by M.Qls RomortCopenhagen:nd againontlle^dof F>&rbary the Ame-excellent JtronornerbServedllere ilchanotherAppearence,but mucllmore wonfiderable;f whichyer he onZly faw the Beginning) Glouds interpofing. BUt thefame wasfeenthatNight by Mr.Gotfrindirchot Berliabovetoo Miles fromCopexhdges,ndlallcd tlzere ill paRTenatNight To theSe ddanother ll oneof 1orcI:Sllration,eennearLondona littlE beforeMidniglltb-tweentheNinth andTenthof Agf x708 by rlleRiglztReverendYhilipLord Biihopof Hereford,-nd bJ7lisLordthipommunicatedo the RoyalSoclet : fo tllarit feemsan little more-llan igllteeaMontlls llis fortofLighthasbeenfeetan theSiwy, o lefs tllan ive times;in theYears707and oo8.[lencewenlayreaGonablyoncludehat lleAir,orEartll,r both,are otrletimesfhougllutfeldom ndwitll great latersals, diEpoWedo producehisPhgnome-non: for hought beprobablehatmanyimes wllen ithappens,t nay not be obServedsasailing ut in llE 92time, orincloudy Veather, rbrightMoonRline yetehat it fhouldbc fo 57eryrtenfeenat {ometimes andbfeldotllat others,s whatcannotwellbethatwayaccouatedfor. Whereforeallingaboutandconfidexingonatmight be mo(lprobably heMatereal f; of tllefe ;RppQarances;wrhatiirAoccurr'dvasthcVapour xWaterT t t -- rarsSed



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by tlaeEruptionfthe pentVapour ilrougil ilePoresoftileEarth, hen it is not in futiicienE Quantity, nor fudden enoughO {hakets Surface5r to open t felfa Pafz.-fagegrendingt. Andas vilefeVapoursare uddenlyproducedzy lleFallof WaterupontilenitrocuSpllurousFiresunderGround, ileytrsiglzt eJlbetilought o getfromvilence Tindrurewhichmight dirpofetilem Offiine n theNigilt, and a Tendency ontaryo thatofGravity;as w1eindthe Aitapoursf Gunspst*g6t,henheated n MaraosO {htnenthe Darkg ndaCcendo theTopof 11e Receiverhougil xhauRed:heExperimentof whiclufawveryneatly erf6rmedyMr. Wbite*Keeperf EsolMsM in OxfirdNorffiouldfeek oranyother auSe lla-nhis, if inSvmef rdeieT:litancesndparticuxatiytllisvhereofweerea; elleAppatanceadnot beenken overa muchgreater;>artfrlleEarthEilrfat*ehat canbe husaccounted {or. Ithavingnthisiaftbeen ifiblerotnlle We }SieofSsldro tlleConfinesof:anl PnlJndonheJEaSnordo sr* tt knowts ILiaaitsncllatiide)extendsg overatleaft01Xrtylegrnes f Longitude ; and n

iLarittlule}io;maboutfiRy Degreesoveraln)oLlil theA;vstl)f Sro8; and in aXlPJacesxilsbitingt tIleainX tiOu ths^mex^onderousircumRances.s 47e ureintormed f rl PublickNewtsNowthisS5 a spACa muchaco ide to l3e{haken r any oneTtmew


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,eo other ortsof Egvia of a muchmore(ubtileNature,andwhicilperhapsnay fieem more adaprcdQbring boutt-hoWe-onderfulndurprizitlgly quickMotions e Xavefeen.SucharehetneticaX E.fflvia,whtfsAtoms reely permFatellePores f tllemoI}Wolidodies1meetingwithnotObRacleromheluterpofstionf GlaSsrhEar-bleorevenGoldt felf TheSeyaperpetuaifux dogIome f rllem,arife romheparts tarrllePotesof tieMagner,whilft rllers f t11eike Kindof-Atomsf urwithacourraryendencyenter natthefamesart ftlleStoney hrougllwthichbeyfreeJy-aSs andby ahindof-C rclllationilrrollndt onallSidess s wictzaAtmofpbereoo theDiflance f folueDiamerersf the13ody. Ttlis iltNg dS Cartesasendeavouredoexplain(Priarip.ZihitoJoph.ib [51


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,frons to ;E1rAr,lleywill ormhenfBlvesntoCCurvesmore2n-d zore ronked s theyareremoterrom hePolee atldwitllall n)QEe andnzereobliqlle otlle Sur.faceof tlzeStc>neas:ourFigurerulyrepref\ents,ndas mayreadilsbe 1it%7 by the Eerrellx andApparatgs for thatPurpofen tlle RtcJtory of tlle Rayaloriety Hence itmayappear owthis cs-ccedingubtileMatter e:7ol^?es;and particularly howit permeateshe Magnerwirllmoreforceand n greater Quantity 1n thecirculspolararts}entring into it on theanefide,andemergirlgromt Ontheother.unuerhe ameobtqueAngles whiifi n the(if mlafi feth&Word) ery cwif anyof theSe arti-clesdo impinge and iloleeeryobliquely.Now by manyandreryevidentArgumentst appearsrllatourGlobe Qf FAtth iS no oheralianone greatMag-net, or (sf I maybeallowed o alledge nInventionf myourn)ratller ro: tile one incluwingile,otheras theSbeZlncludeshe Serael for fo andnototherwtSev:mayexp'tatalle hangesf theVariationf theMagneticalNeedle) llt tO ourprefent llrpofeheReCultk ttefirne Xt uffiCesllatWC may uppotehefameort ofGirculatiollf fuch nexceedinXgineMattero beperpeZtuallyperfbrmedntlleEarth, swte bServen icheKrelwla; svhivh tabrileMatter rcelypervading: PoresoftllF Earxbsndentringnto t neartsSouthern ole}maypaXouragaxnntotheEther,arelze ameDi{latlce om-tllePVortnernsandith a like Force;tsDireRion )cing

* ilill



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. ,cng a i-ma11D*ooreef Lights perhapsronz greaterI8enEryfthwate> or ie gkeatvr -llclecicy of StSMowtion: afEerhe laale a?anner we t-Cs lle Xvia ofElefifreskodiesby a Rrong atzdq-ulekFridrionmttLigllrn the Dark: to uYhuhrt of Liglltthisfeems;a Caureormanyd theIlrangeAppearancesehare Sv34(t>treatingf, and or omeofthemoRdifiicultO ACCoUNt -o^-otherwiSe as xvhy hefeLightsarerarelyeenanyxvherccIfebutin the Nortllka-Xcrlwqariyerpendicuaro rheEart:s Suriz For tltata+taylneereded;perpendicb;arlyuponelzeStarficef thP iobe arillapptar re&OtAeeorizenf anEyeplacedy v1lX>re tn tAXn famel^phea:caX uperdeics;s EaXf; demoxiftra

ns



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Andwllereasn thisAppeatanceandperleap-nallothersof ehe Kind) hoSe 3esIns llicllaroteneartllt w a n d[Yr#>s L, ftl, X, sx7ere furtheftrom hePerpendicularson orll fides inclinitJg toatardsheSotxth,vhiitillofe ntlle Airthweere iredS*yprlght t11eauSehereofmaywell be explainedby vlaeOblsquityof the kwagncticalCurvessmakingRillobtalSerngleswith the Meridiansof thcEerrellastheyare urtllerromtS PolesHence-alfot is manifeI}zow llatwonderful4ronatllat Wtas feen 0 theSouthwardsf the Krtex, in theBgianingf tlleNsgllt7 nd everyremarkableor it'Stremulousndvibrating sghtgfasproduced;to wic,by the(:oncollrfe f manyof thofeBeamsarifingvery11ghout of thecircumgacentegions,and meetingnearthe ca1t11: the siJ wllereoftheycotlfililedmixlngand nterfering ne w^7itilnothers ndthereby ccafion,ing a muchlronger utuncertainavering Light. Andfince t iS agreedbyallourAccountsllat tllisCorvaJastiiaged withvariousColours, 'tiS morethanprobabiethattheie1luAratedby hediredc eams ft1zvun :whencetmiglltcomet0 paSshatthisfirSCoronJaJ feencoloured ndmucllbrghterhan -whatappearedfrerwardsn fomePSaces,,where the Sighr iereof was more hanoncerepeated,Xi; ct ( l s 8u1


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. ,SidesolughtO COnVerggE tO a Point, aswe fee in Piduresthe 9ara11c13ordersf firtightWalks, and all otherLinesparalleJo tlle Axisof Vition meet as in a ttter.WhereforehoScRays wllisll aroSehigheRabos7eheEarthandwerenearelnthe Eye} [cemedto terminate inCufpsfufficientlycute, andhave been for that te;fonfuppoSedytheVulgaro repreSentp:4rr.C5tbrgumeflt toproYe the diur]alRorationof the tarth (thol?g4})TWatsbca matterwhlcht at preSent,s generatlyakenby tbeLearaed obe paSdiSpure For hofeENeams/hichQ' t>up to a Foit arlddid ]or prefently ifsppear,,tXcorattilucd or ;Jorneime,hadrnofLf them fenfibleMsrt1t*etfromEaft-toW7eRsoncraryo thataf the Heavensvle-biggeft nd tallc1Ef therz}as lzeingneare0, witkefTsand the mere remoreand {laorterwlot^^cr. y wh;^amans) thc one overtakng heQhCf theySQUt; fome

t7 W. aa t3m*s



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of irsVeocsty andtherelnoteouldnor lvat[eemto re-cedeandmove tlle contrary Way. Andaftertlle famemanner s rlleStars llat gO nearthe Senicb, pafiov-erthaKeVertical ircle3 xvhicllborderon tlle Meridiansmucllfwifterthan tllofe Starswllicharemorediftanttllercfrom;o tlleSeuminousRayswoulcieemO recedefaRer romEaS O Weftsas theirBaWeserenearer heEyeof tile Sped;taior;nd soStras ilower as tlleywerefurtlleroANor arewteo tkink t firangesf after o grea,>Quantity f lumnousVapour adbeencarrfiedp ntotheEtlerout of tllePoresf theEarth}lleCauSef itsEtErvefcencet lengtll bating,or perhapshe Matterthercof onfumedthefeUlavia lould t lengtll fubfide,andformlloWeWtO brightL4mif xvlzxcllre havedeS-criled, andvahofEdgesbeingturn'do usverecapaDble t0 Ctntt rOmuchLight llatwemigllt cadby tllemol chooSe>toall hem4hnin, becauie,withoutdoubc,ttloughlleywerebut tilin, they fpreadHorizonrallyovera largeTrad;tf theEaltllSurface.Atld YbiJAllisuminousMaeterropro-wnrotnheUpper 'iate to theuneler hemanyirtlewnhiteolumnswere ortnede--r-vecnLlemy tS Defcen onlyvifblefortl.e Momentof tllcirFallF[llefe bytheSwifitleX ztitllwthichheyvansnledr,dit,eirreatNumber}hevinghenxilvesnddifappearingsthowl:nyc8ruer,xllibiced veryoddAppearence;} old ontheRiglt I*cn;E ismetimesodrimandpulhallotenthe]efr}nu ;: arr"

I



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epecaliy ir \N7e aDiFancesllereof. f it fhallbyanybethougllt 11ardSuppofitiotlhat1Sutne thevia of tlzeMag;leticalMsatter or thispurpofe,xvhiclln certainCa{esmaythemfel^7esecomeuminous, r ratller may fometimescarryWitllhemoutof theBowels f tlleEarrtl {ort fAtomsroper toproduce ight n the Etllerv anfwertbatwe arenotasyetinformed f any otherKirndsf]?gsiaof terreRrialatterwhichmay erveorourpurbpofe,thanhofewe11aveere onfidered,xz. tlle MagneticalAtoms, tldllofe fWater1ighlyarifiedntoVapour.Nar doweEnd nytning like t inxvllatwefee ofthe(:eleRial odies, nlefstbetlleE-tRtia rojededutof rlleESodiesf Comets o a va-RHeight, andwhichfeemby a Fisrentrifuga O flywithanincredibJewiftne{i heCentersothoftl e SUnandComet, nklO gO ofintoTailsof a Scarceonceivableengtll. \sVllat*y betheConfititutionf theSeComericalapours3venlal3i-tantsof theEarth anknowbut ittlt, andonly tI attheyareevidentlyxcited ytheHeatoftheSun v;hereas thiskltteor,f Imay ocall t, feldoms Geenut inehepoiatRegionsftheWorld, ndtlzaFmokrtontnon-ly inthe* interMonths.ButwIzates?er maybe c1zeautethxreof.f thisbe not. I haveollos5cdhecidAxio*, ftheScllools. Entia 7Z0afe temeren q JeaD0f: ursJI;;atemwltiplicvadLaRl- beg ean?e on thisOccaftonG meNt.tOn- NSttAtsneat aS tears fince, publiJllidnNo (3SGf tC( 12> f-aioSs T^itW Thar (tuppofinghe Ea>tAo besotlcave,1SXu X witb



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.a MediBm hould be tllus incloWed7itilin us; wilatihould inderbutwemaybeallowedo fuppofehat Romeparts of vl slucidSubRanceayfi n veryrareand ex-traordinaryccaftons,ranfiudehrougllndpenetzateEhe Cartencf ourEvrth, ndbcingor ooSemay f0ordlleMatterwhereofllis ourMetevronfifRs.Tllisfeemsa--vouredby oneconflderable ircutmIlance,iz. thatthebEarth,ecauSef itS dlurnalRotationbetngneceSarilyof tIzeFiguref aFlat pheroidwhe hicknefsf tE1e or-xerr9n tbePrZat artsf the Globe, s conGdetablyefsvilan towar:ls the Eqxator;and thereforeaoresikely ogive Pafiageo thefeVapaurs;wllence reafonmaybegiven svhy heSe ightsarealwayseen ll tlacNortll. Butl de{ireO laynomoreRrefs pon his Conccit llatl t 7iltLrear}it haViNg beennoted hat ntlleYearsX575 and- 5809uherein his AppearaAace?as fregutfarS that t sSa.s feennor far firomhe Ti-n3c-sf tlle two E:(luInoxesit mayk vrorthwllile or he Curioussobeow fone AtrezEionon theHeavensxn ize Montasof SepteggvtatldOs2nhernet; andin caSe t {hould-gainbappen, o endeavourto olzrervesy tlle PtlethodhaveIlere aid dosvn rhatmaydeterninejwith omedegr-eef Exasiinels, he DianceandHei-gl^rtlercof writlolut hichwc can >carceCOR]COgtiy j2it C;onclufon.

F 1 1\7 Z SFrJl* 0D 3 6 t e t S j 9 la } 8:.readt3 XteO8, /; *Ostead.,posrd} as"t ffirJO;i

.a MediBm hould be tllus incloWed7itilin us; wilatihould inderbutwemaybeallowedo fuppofehat Romeparts of vl slucidSubRanceayfi n veryrareand ex-traordinaryccaftons,ranfiudehrougllndpenetzateEhe Cartencf ourEvrth, ndbcingor ooSemay f0ordlleMatterwhereofllis ourMetevronfifRs.Tllisfeemsa--vouredby oneconflderable ircutmIlance,iz. thatthebEarth,ecauSef itS dlurnalRotationbetngneceSarilyof tIzeFiguref aFlat pheroidwhe hicknefsf tE1e or-xerr9n tbePrZat artsf the Globe, s conGdetablyefsvilan towar:ls the Eqxator;and thereforeaoresikely ogive Pafiageo thefeVapaurs;wllence reafonmaybegiven svhy heSe ightsarealwayseen ll tlacNortll. Butl de{ireO laynomoreRrefs pon his Conccit llatl t 7iltLrear}it haViNg beennoted hat ntlleYearsX575 and- 5809uherein his AppearaAace?as fregutfarS that t sSa.s feennor far firomhe Ti-n3c-sf tlle two E:(luInoxesit mayk vrorthwllile or he Curioussobeow fone AtrezEionon theHeavensxn ize Montasof SepteggvtatldOs2nhernet; andin caSe t {hould-gainbappen, o endeavourto olzrervesy tlle PtlethodhaveIlere aid dosvn rhatmaydeterninejwith omedegr-eef Exasiinels, he DianceandHei-gl^rtlercof writlolut hichwc can >carceCOR]COgtiy j2it C;onclufon.

F 1 1\7 Z SFrJl* 0D 3 6 t e t S j 9 la } 8:.readt3 XteO8, /; *Ostead.,posrd} as"t ffirJO;i

1716 - account of the the lights seen in the air

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