ANTARCTIC AURORAS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20259, 20 May 1929, Page 11

ANTARCTIC AURORAS.

EFFECT UPON WIRELESS. FADING OUT OF WAVES. United Service. NEW YORK, May 17. [By Mr. Russell Owen. Copyrighted 1928 by the New York Times Company and the St. Louis Post Dispatch. All lights for publication throughout the world. Wireless to the New York Times.] BAY OF WHALES, May 16. . The aurora or something has affected our radio communication in the last two days. It may have been the aurora, although the wireless experts refuse to commit themselves, but it is at least a coincidence that in the course of the two days there have been strong and beautiful auroras. The day before yesterday, in the afternoon, the finest aurora we have yet seem lighted up the heavens and the entire sky seemed alight with flame.. It began with arches which ■ shivered across the sky and became curtains which waved and pulsated with green, blue and deep red glows. Sometimes it whirled as though it 'was blown by a great wind, and the colours scattered and fled through the whole mass in waves » of bea.utiful lightThere was a magnificent display yesterday. Long arches hung one above the other in the north, and from them there stretched across the zenith to the south a slowly-waving curtain of greenish white which curved and ended in a twisted lash like that of a whip. Jt lasted for as long as one could stand outside in the cold and watch. With the coining of the arches the wireless waves just curled up and died. There are other causes which could inteirupt the radio, but studies are being made to see if there is any connection between the two. A few more coincidences like those, of yesterday an nday before will make it seem very probThe temperature last night was 48 degrees below zero.