By Maggie Boyd, Archivist
In an article published in The Independent Ledger in Boston on February 26, 1781, the Academy wrote that “they request the Assistance of the Ingenious in every profession. Observations in Astronomy and Geography, will be of great use. Meteorological Observations and Experiments are much wanted.” By May 1781, the Academy had organized its activity into “subjects of study,” instructing that the “seventh class make meteorology their special object, observe the azimuth, meridional height, vertical direction and various phenomena of the Aurora borealis. . . .”
The Academy’s collection of bound communications includes one such response. In an account sent to the Academy and later published in the Memoirs in 1793, founding member Caleb Gannet (elected in 1780) relates the observations made by Reverend John Mellen (Academy member, elected in 1792) of a vivid aurora sighted on March 27, 1781.1
According to Mellen, the phenomenon began with a pale stream of light appearing above a dark vapor along the horizon. By 9:30 p.m., the display evolved to include a steady column of light, gradually growing southward and forming a faint, expanding ring across the sky.
Today, the aurora is not only an object of scientific study but also a popular subject of professional and amateur photography. In 2016, an auroral phenomenon called STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) was noted first among aurora photographers before becoming a subject of study among astronomers. Distinct from the aurora borealis, it can be described as a steady glowing arc of light. Due to the sun’s eleven-year cycle, 2025 is expected to be one of the best years for observing the aurora; what will be observed remains to be seen.