Results derived from the Arctic Expedition, 1875-76. I. Physical observations by George Nares and [H.W.] Feilden; II. Medical report on the Eskimo dog disease, by B. Ninnis.

  • Great Britain. Arctic Expedition 1875-6.
Date:
1878
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Results derived from the Arctic Expedition, 1875-76. I. Physical observations by George Nares and [H.W.] Feilden; II. Medical report on the Eskimo dog disease, by B. Ninnis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    February 9th. Report. Discovery Bay.—At 10.30 a.m. a very brilliant meteor of a green colour was observed moving very slowly from the Zenith to the westward leaving a luminous track behind it. The dawn at the time was considerable, sufficient to read ordinary type. March 1876. At Floeberg Beach the sun appeared above the horizon at noon of the first. The moon remained above both horizons from the 28th February to the 9th March. Full moon occurred on the 10th. After the 26th stars were not visible at midnight. March 2nd. Report. Discovery Bay.—At 11 a.m., a faint nucleus of light appeared to the right of the sun, slightly prismatic. March 7th. Report. Discovery Bay.—At 0.30 p.m. from the high land over Distant Cape, about five miles from the ship, the following phenomenon was observed : A luminous patch appeared about 23° to the left of the sun, slightly prismatic, with a horizontal ray tapering to a point proceeding from it; shortly afterwards a similar one appeared to the right. About thirty minutes afterwards the side patches became more developed and strongly prismatic, appearing like mock suns. At the same time a mock sun appeared directly over the sun, and the same distance from it as those at the sides. A vertical ray tapering to a point proceeded from the sun. Thermometer —49°'5. Baro- meter 29-96 inches, No wind or clouds. This phenomenon was not observed from the ship, the sky being clear at the time. On the same day at 11 p.m. a faint halo was observed round the moon ; diameter about 45°. March 9th. Report. Discovery Bay.—At 11 p.m. a faint halo was observed, with side arcs on either side of the moon, with a broad horizontal ray tapering to a point proceeding from each. Thermometer —52°. Barometer 30*37 inches. Wind N.W., force 1, b.c.m.; clouds, cirrus 6. Diameter of the halo 480,5. March 11th. Report. Floeberg Beach.—At noon a faint parhelion was observed. March 16th. Report. Discovery Fay.—At noon a mock sun was observed to the right and a luminous patch of prismatic colours to the left of the sun, both distant 23°*5 from the sun. Thermometer —10°. Barometer 29'94 inches. Wind, North-easterly, force 2 to 3. Weather, b. c. Clouds, stratus 4. March 25th. Report. Floeberg Beach.—Between 11.30 a.m. and 1p.m. a parhelion was observed on either side of the sun, with a third much fainter and only occasionally visible above the true sun. March 26th. Report. Floeberg Beach.—A slight parhelion was visible for an hour. April 1876. The sun remained above both horizons after the 8th. April 14th. Report. Floeberg Beach.—At 2 a.m. a very faint parhelion was observed. May 1876. May 1st. Lieutenant Aldrich, on the north coast of Grinnell Land, reports : There was a very brilliant parhelion, lasting for about an hour, during the afternoon. It con- sisted of a horizontal white, but hazy looking belt, which reached nearly three quarters of the way round the heavens ; in it were situated four luminous patches of prismatic colours or mock suns. The angles, measured by sextant, between those nearest on either side of the true sun and the true sun itself, was 23°. The more distant ones, very much fainter, were at an angle of 105° on either side of the true sun. Right above, and curved upwards or away from the true sun, was a most brilliant arc of prismatic colours, about 80 or 90 degrees of it only visible. The colours were most vivid, the red being nearest the sun, on the outer edge of the arc; the angle between the most adjacent portion of which and the true sun was 46°. In the luminous patches the red colour was invariably nearest the sun.