Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 001.djvu/231

 the mixture of any other colour. It passed through the midst of the Sun's Disk, and was parallel to the Horizon. Its Diameter was above a hundred degrees, and its Center not far from the Zenith.

The Second was much less and defective in some places, having the Colours of a Rainbow, especially in that part, which was within the great Circle. It had the true Sun for its Center.

The Third was less, than the first, but greater than the secendsecond [sic]; it was not entire, but only an Arch or Portion of a Circle, whose Center was far distant from that of the Sun, and whose circumference did, by its middle, join to that of the least Circle, intersecting the greatest Circle by its two extreams. In this Circle were discerned also the Colours of a Rainbow, but they were not so strong, as those of the Second.

At the place, where the circumference of this Third Circle did close with that of the Second, there was a great brightness of Rainbow-Colours, mixt together: And at the two extremities, where this Second Circle intersected the First, appear'd two Parhelia's or Mock-suns; which shone very bright, but not so bright, nor were so well defined, as the true Sun. The False Sun, that was towards the South, was bigger, and far more luminous, than that towards the East. Besides those two Parhelia's which were on the two sides of the true Sun, in the intersection of the First and Third Circle, there was also upon the First great Circle, a third Mock-sun, situated to the North, which was less and less bright, than the two others. So that at the same time there were seen Four Suns in the Heavens.

Figure II. will illustrate the Position of this Phænomenon.

A. The Zenith or the Point Vertical of the place of Observation.

R. The true Sun.

S C H N. The great Circle, altogether White, almost parallel to the Horizon, which pass'd through the true Sun's Diske, and upon which were the false suns.

D E B O. A Rain-bow about, the Sun, forming an entire Circle, but interrupted in some places.

H D N. A portion of a Circle, that war Excentrick to the Sun, and greater than the Circle D E B O, which touch'd D E B O, and was confounded with it in the point D. Rh