Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-11-19
Richmond, Tuesday, Nov. 10.
THE METEORIC PHENOMENON.


yet hcard-from Boston TO Charleston, 8. C--and
ffow tho Atlantic cities to Charleston on the Ka-
nnwha. II has probably extended through all North
Anserica. 1t is uniformly described as one of the
,nost magnificent aud briant phenomena, which
has ever appeared We have given very copiotis
extracts from the newspapers, descriptive of the i'm
preston it male upon the Spectators The follow
ing the accounts from the extreme points North
and South TO which intelligence Inns yet reached:
.-s From tho Bo,'oa rs.n.:.ip' of,hs i3'n 4;
!, " This morning. between half past and half past
oclosk, there a Of shooting stars in the north
west, For hour meteor succeeded meteor in such
pid succession. that impossible them
lumnst cd as with morning light. They shot each
rectou. principally however, from the s. E. towards she
m and four or more appeared lower than 26 dog from
the horizon They many thousands in number, and
ashley shot from OF the heavens TO the other they
would hurst rockets balls Of fire in all d
FRACTIONS Tho morning dark aud the atmosphere clear
and cold Those who,were fortunate
scene, describe brilliant beyond conception, and
surpassins the most brilliant artificial fire. works"
tFrom Is. CO. Pa,rio, tho l3,h
"JMefeorie Phcaomenon.-Several persons who wit.
messed the phenomenon, inform Us that at early hour
this morning. the uncommon spectacle exhibited Of
the atmosphere being filled with innumerable Meteors,
shooting and exploding like rockets, but without noise in
understand to be sheet of brilliant light, such the
number Of these balls of flame that filled tho concave OF
the heavens Their continuance nearly three quarters
OF an hour" us,
1t was unquestiopnhy visible i'm every part of Vir-
giniu. The papers from Petersburg, Norfolk, Char
lotesville, Lynchburg Winchester, Charleston DEF
ferson county, and Staunton, notice the phenomena
with asonishlnent and admiration. From various
correspondents we have received the accounts, which
: we lay before our readers:
Very remarkable meieoric phenomena we're seen from
Montvie. King William county, Wednesday morning
the lSh November The sky was singuIAry serene not
the sembanse Of cloud discoverable. About four
o'clock few schooling stars commenced flying with
motion Theoretically rapid tho number increasing every
moment, until the whole hrmsment appeared to be
moving Of frey globes, darling quicker than thought
to be extngushed in azure belt that snsircIed the
hnrs hall
and them twinkIng star could be all else washop.
ping balls Of fire. So incredible the number, that
indeed sir il looked like ripe crab apples falling from the
tree, when shaking them for cider This was excel.
lent representation both g to their manner OF falling and
showing" They continued showing on" at this rate
about 36 minates when the number Of the meteors les.
sened, though their size increased II about this time
that two wefe observed of the size OF six inch globe;
somewhat elongated the ten minutes later than the
other the the north east leaving be.
hind trail of light two or three hundred yards in length
while sparks flying from the body Of the
every direction, until il bursed in thousand particles
This from its appearance its bursting, continued in
upil the number sixty three counted: this the
only method Of determining the length Of time the
visible as II too dark to ascertain IL by atch.
The course oil the Latter was south east tie tail not
long that Of the first. but il visible much
l37 being counted. A cracking noise attended them
both. The meteors continued Shooting though as
great qu.niides until they together with the melted
before the rising is worthy Of remark
not shot athwar, the horizon hut every seemed
to radiae from common CENTRE which centre the
zenith Of the spectator.
The citizens Of this place were awakened this morning
about two hours before day, to witness the
nary phenomenon that (perhsps) has since
the recollection Of man. Many were awakened by the
cry. that the stars falling from Heaven Upon get
ting OF doors, found the whole Heavens illuminated
with erablc number Of meteors that to
be gathering upon us with rapdity The scene
continued undated until day, presenting to my mind
most iorcibly the language of the poet, when he says
The of elements the wreck OF matter and the crush
oil. worlds
Upon closer examination found il to be- what usu-
ally called. shooting Of the stnr, 1t was grand,
have left their orbs, and Fastening with CLEAN Of
Ighttowards the earliportendng, awfuy portending,
the dearuciion Of its inhabitants write plun far
mer. unbforned in the techncaies OF astronomy, hop
ing that these lines may the eye Of astronomer
who will give u. the causes Of these things All we
say about u.s. that they were meeors in tho gloom Of
night, which frightened for while the vaued Heavens
We saw, hut could not understand
Madison Court house, Nov 10, 1888.
. THE SHOOTING STARS
hasten to give you an account and request an expa-
nation Of one the remarkable phenomena which
occurred in the region OF the sky. IN doing so
sctuated by philosophc spirit Of inquiry, aud by
DESTROYS Of palming imaginary aud supposiious
state oil facts which never happened the speculative
theorists. For am well of the habituai ncredu
ly with which newspapers generally perused by the
greatest portion OF the public and particularly those parts
that notice the singular the day. Whether the
curious appearances in the sky confined to this i'm
mediate neighborhood, extensively observ.
ed, have not as yet been able to nscertsin.
The weather for the last fe days has been calm and
sgreesbIy warm the sky serene, and exhibiting
tnral appearance either by day during the night
iii about half past FIVE this morning AT i,t time many
surprised TO the walls OF their
apartments, and the objects in the illumined by fire.
quent and repeated flashes OF gt, similar tho appear
snces produced by distant flashes OF ghning They were
reused by curiosity 10 dress and 90 into the open air
learn the For short time nothing able a
pesre except the sudden appston and short d1rston OF
luminous bodies b the sky, generally sailed shooting
stars, motors, though not frequent TO excite
breath Of air disturbed the quietness that rrigncd
srouDd. the smallest vestgc Of cloud 10 be irac
ed But the n,eeors continued TO increase in number
varying considerably in siZe and lure, until the whole
6rmanent seemed he covered with gobues and sparks
OF fire. Thousands Of shooting were 10 be seen in
every part Of the sky, Of different Sizes aud passing with
immense velocity In various dire tions-presentng the
NEST magnificent and awful spectacle ever Witnessed
Though the nom not yet every object was more
-sple ndour Of her funess The apparent disn,eer of
great many OF these luminous bodies double that Of
the planet Jupiter, and their brightness intense
short time alter commencing their motion, they acquired
6long aion, tall with dazzling white light nes
the ball, aud Of lain,er blush light farther removed
along ihe track which they had psssedtbe,e crossed
each other In every con, in surprising confusion, and
II did SEEN as every star inhe armament would depart
from lis sphere The greater number inclined IN path
towards tue we" and North at apparent angle OF SO
deg with the z"n,wbilc some few seemed almost per.
pendicniar, and the of others nearly parallel
the surface Of The earth They were almost as numerous
the fakes Of snow generally fall and far the greater
part OF the bodies about the smaller ones
gtered with quick and transient fame suddenly dis.