Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 029.djvu/426

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

(413)

was to be expected; ſo it left all of them ſurprized and aſtoniſhed at the Novelty thereof. When therefore for the future any ſuch thing ſhall happen, all thoſe that are curious in Aſtronomical Matters, are hereby admoniſhed and entreated to ſet their Clocks to the apparent Time at London, for Example, by allowing ſo many Minutes as is the Difference of Meridians; and then to note at the End of every half Hour preciſely, the exact Situation of what at that time appears remarkable in the Sky; and particularly the Azimuths of thoſe very tall Pyramids ſo eminent above the reſt, and therefore likely to be ſeen furtheſt: to the intent that by comparing thoſe Obſervations taken in the ſame Moment in diſtant Places, the Difference of their Azimuths may ſerve to determine how far thoſe Pyramids are from us.

It being now paſt Eleven of the Clock, and nothing new offering it ſelf to our View, but repeated Phaſes of the ſame Spectacle; we thought it no longer worth while to bear the Chill of the night-Air ſub dio. Wherefore being returned to my Houſe, I made haſte to my upper Windows, which conveniently enough regard the N. E. Parts of Heaven, and ſoon found that the two Laminæ or Streaks parallel to the Horizon, of which we have been ſpeaking, had now wholly diſappeared; and the whole Spectacle reduced it ſelf to the Reſemblance of a very bright Crepuſculum ſetling on the Northern Horizon, ſo as to be brighteſt and higheſt under the Pole it ſelf; from whence it ſpread both Ways, into the N. E. and N. W. Under this, in the middle thereof, there appeared a very black Space, as it were the Segment of a leſſer Circle of the Sphere cut off by the Horizon. It ſeemed to the Eye like a dark Cloud, but was not ſo; for by the Teleſcope the ſmall Stars appeared through it more clearly than uſual, conſidering how low they were; and upon this as a Baſis our Lumen Auroriforme reſted,which