MAGNETIC STORM

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10901, 16 May 1921, Page 5

MAGNETIC STORM

- MAGNIFICENT AURORAL DISPLAY. TELEGRAPHIC WORK HAMPERED. Mr E. A. Shrimpton, Chief Tele, graph Engineer, reported last evening that a severe magnetic storm, which commenced on Saturday evening, was stall raging, that it had greatly interfered with the working of telegraph wires, and also interrupted the ivireless operations, especially eastward and westward. It was quite impossible to work to anv ships to the eastward and the Wireless station at Chatham Islands. Northward, however,, as is usually the case, the wireless connection was quite good, in fact a little better than usual in exchanging signals with Sura'. From 5.30 o’clock last evening till an hour and a half later there was a fine display of the Aurora Australis (or “southern lights”) visible in Wellington. The sky to the southward was tinted with a pale yellow glow, which warmed to a delicate flush of rose pink like a winter sunset. It is now an established fact that the phenomenon is due to sunspots, and of late a particularly large upheaval has been observed in the sun, visible to the naked eye (through smoked glass). AFFECTING THE EARTH. "NOTHING OF SERIOUS CHARACTER.” "Excellent observations were ta_ken of tho new and great disturbance an the sun, which is quite abnormal, seeing that the period of solar minimum has already been entered,” stated Mr Clement Lm. Wraggo at Auckland. “It contains two gigantic nuclei of energy, each about 55,000 miles in diameter, and between them are innumerable smaller ‘spots,* indicating that the solar photosphere in the vicinity is greatly perturbed. The whole disturbed area from end to end is about 300,000 miles long. That it will aff#:t the earth in some way when it becomes central there is no doubt whatever, and displays of aurora are sure to be observed in high latitudes north and south. Other manifestations may also take place, 'but nothing of a serious nature is anticipated.” A most unusual feature of the display was the viv id violet colour, the 'causes of which, according to the Government Astronomer (Dr. O. B, Adams), have. proved hard to determine. A point which struck Dr Adams was that the rays seemed to bo remarkably sharply defined. They were what might be described as definite rays, not at all diffuse on the edges. It was also noticeable that the sky in parts was extremely green and yellow.