A beautiful display of aurora borely, also known as the northern lights, was observed in Salt Lake City on a Sunday evening between 9 and 11 o'clock. The light wavered approximately 30 degrees towards the zenith, casting a silver hue over the great bear or dipper.
The phenomenon spread east and west with increasing grandeur until about 11 o'clock, when perpendicular waves, streams, or rays of light moved from the north star east and west, beautifying a large portion of the northern hemisphere.
During the display, floating fleecy clouds were decorated with various colors. The light was positioned about 20 degrees above the horizon, changing into a fine yellow-green near the zenith and joined by a rich crimson or red spanning the heavens.
The magnificent phenomenon continued in varying hues among fall clouds until about 1 in the morning. On the evening of the 1st and the morning of the 2nd, the glory of the heavens was displayed again. After midnight, the aurora borealis spread from north to south and east to west in divisions of pale light, mellow yellow light, crimson, and sable green.
At one point, the light formed a grand cross configuration. The sky was often overcast with fall clouds, where variegated colors tinged the rolling masses. In some areas, the southern hemisphere began with pale red at the zenith and faded to a dark orange horizon, while the northern hemisphere glowed with yellow and green.
On the evening of the 3rd, around 8 o'clock, a faint light appeared in the east during a thunder shower rising from the southwest. This light rose to about 44 degrees and resembled faint northern lights. The shower, which began at a quarter to 9, lasted 15 minutes and provided about 1/4 of an inch of water.
This singular lesser twilight, referred to as aurora orientalis or eastern lights, grew fainter from ten o'clock until a little after midnight.
