Ath and Liege, Belgium Circles of light — 19 October 1726
Large glowing clouds collide: fireballs and circles of light: “About 7:30 at night that
Saturday, large clouds of fire arose from our horizon, pushed by the southern wind towards the north. They seemed to collide in an extraordinary manner, yet soundlessly. The sky, although calm, was all afire. Among these volumes of fire one could notice large luminous circles, open at the bottom, pushing one another like the waters of an agitated sea. About 11 o’clock these phenomena passed over the city, continuing long into the night, creating panic and wonder everywhere.” This case and the next one are part of a local “wave” of terrifying observations probably caused by a spectacular auroral display over Northern Europe.
Source: Gilles Joseph de Boussu, L’histoire de la ville de Ath (Mons, 1750). Case: W512