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XXXIII.—Contributions to a Knowledge of the Phenomena of the Zodiacal Light

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 January 2013

Extract

When preparing to make a night journey over one of the plains of South Africa, in the month of June 1843, a friend called my attention to the peculiar appearance of the sky in the west, as offering a very decided proof, “agreeably with theory,” that there was no “Solar atmosphere” to be seen at that season of the year.

On looking in the direction mentioned, the last portion of the twilight was just visible, and forming a peculiarly level line above the place where the sun had set, for an extent in azimuth, of perhaps 40°, and at a height of about 5°. All the gorgeous colours which had attended the setting of the sun had long since vanished, and there only remained sufficient light within the flattened arc described, to make the space included between it and the horizon appear light blue, while all the rest of the sky had attained a deeper colour, nay was almost black, and thickly spangled with small as well as large stars.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1853

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References

page 493 note * On account of the expense of first-class engravings, one of the drawings only has been put upon metal. This one, “the appearance of the zodiacal light at the Cape of Good Hope, in July 1845,” will be found amongst the plates at the end of the volume.

page 495 note * Kepler's Epit. Astron. Copernicanæ, t. i., p. 57; and t. ii., p. 893; Descartes, Principcs, iii., Art. 136, and 137.

page 496 note * Edit. de Langles, t. iv., p. 326; and t. x., p. 97.

page 501 note * Comptes Rendus, t. xvi., p. 687; Ap. 1843.