This most delightful and extraordinary sight lasted from 30 minutes past 10 to 51 minutes past 11 ; though it had not the same appearance all the while, but sometimes one and sometimes another. It appeared in the perfection of this description at about 11 o'clock, and then degenerated by degrees. The northern mock sun at F vanished first of all, together with a part of its circle ; the other parhelia with their arches lasted till 10 minutes past 11, then the eastern mock-sun, and after that the western, vanished with both the crosses. Soon after this the collateral parhelia C, D suffered several changes; sometimes one was bright er than the other in light and colours; and sometimes faint er and darker. For at 18 minutes past 10 the eastern par helion at C vanished, while the western parhelion at B re mained very conspicuous ; and 24 minutes past 11, the eas tern one was very bright again, and remained so, while the western one disappeared at 40 minutes past 1 I; although this western one had almost always the longer tail. For the tip of it was frequently extended for 30 degrees, and sometimes 90, as far as the parhelion E; but the tail of the eastern one C was scarce above 20 degrees. At 30 minutes past 11, the great vertical circle YXHVZ was destroyed ; but the inverted arches II and G, together with the collateral par helia B and C, continued to the last.
. The scheme of this phenomenon is drawn in the same manlier as the constellations are drawn upon an artificial globe, to be received by the ey e on the outside of it. Fur by this local every thing is rep: escnted much clearer and distinetcr. Nevertheless, the place of the observer was nearly under the zenith, within the circle parallel to the horizon; so that the true sun appeared to him in the meri dian, the mock stns F in the north, and the other two at D and E on each hand. But if you desire to have this extra ordinal y phenomenon represented a little plainer: upon an artificial globe, whose pole is elevated to our altitude at Dantzic, with the centre A in the 2c1 degree of l'isces, where the sun then was, and with a semi-diameter of 22 degrees, describe the circle G BIC ; 2d, and then the circle YXIIVZ with a radius of 45 degrees ; 3d, and with the same centre and scmi•diameter of 90 degrees, draw the cir cle NEKDP through the two white mock suns, E, D; 4th, and with a semi-diameter of 222, the zenith being the cen tre, draw the arch THS ; 5th, and also the arch QG R, with a radius of 90 degrees, upon the same centre ; 6th, and last ly, the circle BEFDC, parallel to the horizon, with a radi us or 90 degrees. And the draught being finished in this manner will appear very beautiful and harmonious." On the 2d January 1586, Christopher Rothman observ ed at Cassel another halo, which he describes in the follow ing planner, in his description of a comet seen in that year.
" The sky being very clear in the east just before sun rise, there appeared an upright column, exactly situated in a vertical circle. Its breadth was every where equal to the sun's diameter ; and it looked as if sonic village was on fire beyond the mountains. For it appeared like a column of flame, excepting that its thickness was every where the same.
Soon after, in the same column, there arose an image of the sun, exactly resembling the true sun. There was scarce one digit of this image under the horizon when the Lrue sun began to rise in the same column, which was fol lowed in like manner by another image. The column, with its three suns touching one another, continued always upright, or in a vertical circle, as appeared by the plum met of a quadrant.
These suns had all the same appearance, except that the true sun in the Middle was brighter than the rest. This appearance of the column passing through three suns lasted almost a quarter of an hour, till they were covered by a black cloud descending from above.
Scheiner observed, in 1630, the halo represented in Fig. 3, which is thus described by Gassendi : " The diameter of the corona NIQNE next to the sun, was about 45 de grees ; and that of the remoter corona ORP, was about 95° 20'; they were coloured like the primary rainbow, but the red was next the sun, and the other colours in the usual order. The breadths of all the arches were equal to one another, and about a third part less than the diameter of the sun, as represented in the scheme. Though I cannot say but the whitish circle OGP parallel to the horizon, was rather broader than the rest. The two parhelia, M N, were Lively enough ; but the other two at 0 and P were not so brisk ; M and N had a purple redness next the sun, and were white in the opposite parts; 0 and P were all over white. They all differed in their durations. For P, which shone but seldom and but faintly, vanished first of all, be ing covered by a collection of pretty thick clouds. The parhelion 0 continued constant for a great while, though it was but faint. The tit o lateral parhelia M and N were seen constantly for three hours together : M was in a languish ing state, and died first, after several struggles ; but N continued an hour after at least. Though I did not see the last end of it, yet I was sure it was the only one that accompanied the true sun for a long time, having escap ed those clouds and vapours which extinguished the rest. However it vanished at last upon the fall of some small showers. This phenomenon was observed to last four hours and a half at least ; and since it appeared in perfection when I first saw it, I am persuaded its whole duration might be above five hours.