660700Aurora4_p1

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THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA

STANDING COMMITTEE ON OBSERVATIONAL ACTIVITIES


                                    AURORA SECTION                      Bulletin No. 4


To obtain more information from our aurora observers and to establish an R.A.S.C. auroral
data file, this bulletin describes two stumnary forms. These can easily be duplicated
by Centres or individual observers and are intended as a supplenent to, not a replacement
for, the present N.R.C. aurora report form.

MONTHLY AURORA SUMMARY: At the top, the name of the observer, month and year, station
or location where the observations have been made, and the time used during the entire
month should be given. Below this, a list of standard symbols is found for use singly
or in combination.

In the main section, observational data should be entered - across the page ar columns
for the various hours of each night, down the page are tars for the days of the month.
For each hour of the night when an observation has been made, an appropriate symbol
should be entered along the daily rows.

Four examples are shown:

  - On July 5-6 the sky was clear between 22h and 02h. Twilight interfered with ob-
    servation until 23h, after that no aurora was seen during three consecutive hours
    of observing.

  - On July 10-U the sky was overcast between 22h and OOh. Between 00h and 01h the
    sky partially cleared but the northern sky was still clouded over. During the
    next hour the sky was partially cloudy aU over, and by 02h the sky had again be-
    came overcast.

  - On July 22-23 a weak aurora was observed prior to 23h and again after 00h. No
    observation was made between 23h and 00h.

  - On July 23-24 the sky was partially cloudy between 21h and 02h. The north was
    clear during most of this interval but no aurora was seen before 22h the to twi-
    light. After 22h no aurora wag observed in the north until 01h when a medium
    aurora was noted, After 02h the sky cleared and the medium aurora continued.


DAILY AURORA SUMMARY:  This is used only when an aurora has been seen and recorded on
the N.R.C. Visual Aurora Report form; the display is then summarized on the daily
summary form for use by an R.A.S.C. Centre Recorder or the National Co-ordinator.

At the top are spaces where the observer's name, location or station, and the time used
for the observations should be entered. A short list of preferred symbols for the
auroral forms and their intensities follows.

The main portion is for the summary of the observations. Elevations indicating the
position of the aurora relative to the northern horizon appear across the top. Angles
larger than 90° are south of the zenith, 180° is the southern horizon. Times of

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