AURORA AUSTRALIS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2278, 19 May 1921, Page 4

AURORA AUSTRALIS.

THE “SUNSPOT” THEORY,

Commenting on the recent display of the Aurora Australis, Mr Wragge says:—

A magnetic storm, operated by the abnormal giant “sunspot,” is now affecting the earth, as is evidenced by the magnificent display of the Aurora Australis visible around Auckland last evening. In the great rosy auroral streamers one actually witnesses the tremendous wireless waves from the sun bombarding this planet. The display will have proved all the more beautiful in the South Island, and with increase of latitude generally; and high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere should have an equally grand manifestation of the. Aurora Borealis. That the ocean cables and telegraphic services generally will be more or less affected is certain. It is most unusual that such a magnificent spectacle should bo observed in such a comparatively low latitude, and it proves the intensity of the wireless waves emanating from the sun. As lias already been stated, the gigantic solar upheavals at this time are quite abnormal, as it is highly probable that Alpha Centauri, our next nearest suit, is ini duly influencing our sun through 25 trillions of miles by its etheric waves. Sunday night's display afforded ail excellent example of the electro-magnetic vibrations permeating the universe and linking up everything.

Mr Wragge added that the display might be observed as far north as the Tropic of Capricorn.

SCI ENTI FI C INVESTIG A T lONS. The occurrence of auroral displays lias been the subject of considerable scientific investigation, most of which, however, lm> taken place in the Northern Hemisphere. It has been observed that the frequency of the displays is much greater in some years than in others. At most places the variations in frequency has shown a general similarity to that of sun spots. A farther observation on the subject is that it is hardly open to doubt that there is nil intimate connection between the aurora when visible in temperate latitudes and tcrrestial magnetism. A bright aurora visible over Europe scorns always accompanied by a magnetic storm and earth currents, and the largest magnetic storms and the most conspicuous auroral displays have occurred simultaneously. On some of die occasions recorded since 1859, ihe aurora was brilliant in both lienisphores, while magnetic disturbances were experienced the whole world over. In high latitudes, however, where botli aurorae and magnetic storms arc most numerous, the connection between them is much less uniform.