Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-03-02


MrrEoRs, METE0R1TEs and METEoRIC STONES.
Everybody il familiar with those luminous appear
.nces called "shuoting stars" which, darting like
rockets across the evening sky streak tho heavens
with line of fire aud runish from the sight. The
peasant and tho philosopher stop alike to gazo at the
beautiful coruscson, and fur as anything is cer-
,aialv known as to tho Of tho phenomenon, the
and philosopher arc about on An equal footing
But as to probabilities, respecting the strange phan-
tasm. based upon observations, calculations and ana
logical ressoninga the philosopher has somewhat the
advantage and to show some Of tho results OF the To-
bors Of the learned this paper has beon prepared from
various sources which mny bo consulted by those who
desire to investigate farther.
In considering the subject the distinctions made at
the houd Of this article should DO particularly OBJ
served.
A Meteor or shooting star, then, seems to be sort
of airy nothing-though very respectable gentleman
once insisted to the writer that it as STAR for "he
had seen ono start its way, and striking against
another STAR it stopped, while star No. was driven
forward by the impulse" But this worthy old gentle
man had never studied Astronomy, and like some
whom wo havo encountered in our lceturng rambles,
who would not admit the earths axial revolution,
"because, if the world turned at night.all the
wells would be dry in the morning" But this is di-
crossing.
Tho Meteoric phenomenon seems to be produced by
some kind of luminous body, which in consequence of
its vast velocity, leaves train Of light behind The
best illustration VIC can think of, is habit which
children have of burning end Of stick to coal
and moving it rapidly to and fro, whirng around
makeing lines and circles of FIRE in the air. But the
Msorc train differs from that of the burning stick, in
that gradually disappears aftor the Meteor has been
o1tinguished- occasionally remaining distinctly visi-
BILE for several seconds, or ovOn minutes. So that
the Gcry train instead of boing spectral illusion, is
probably part of tho Meteor ITSELF
These bodies generally appear singly though occs-
sionay quite o number may be seOn in short Gpace
of time, and sometimes they in showers Of count
less thousands
As to the erign of Meteors, nothing is known with
certainty They have been supposed to be gaseous in
their nature originating in the atmosphere and be-
coming by some means infamed, thus exhibiting the
appearance which they present. Some have supposed
them to bo electrical in their origin. But neither of
these hypothesis seom to be satisfactory AS to the
substance of Met0ors nothing is known, because no
part of one has ever reached the esrth they nyaria
bly, vanish or explode noi.elessy in the atmosphere,
and the fragments arc consumed or absorbed.
They arc not atmospheric in their origin, because
the observations made on many Meeors give them an
altitude very fur above what generally supposed to
bo tho limits of the atmosphere The observations Of
Professors Looms and Twining, assign them height
varying from 81 to o. miles. Those Of Brandes and
Denzcnburg Germans, gave an altitude Of from As to
95 miles. Other observations by Brandes made them
hundreds of miles at the vanishing point-whe some,
in Switzerland, gave m average height Of $50 miles
Again, in the great Metcoric shower Of 1888, the
radiamg point was, during the whole display in the
constellation Leo. Now, the earth having rotary
motion eastward the atmosphere and everything per-
tanning to it, must have motion in tho same drec
ton Hence if these Meteors had originated in the
atmosphere, the rada1ing point would probably have
moved eastward with the earth; whereas its course
was westward with the stars.
The supposition which has given moro satisfaction
than any other il, that the Metsors either from
the Zodacal Light or from some opaque body or
bodies which are pursuing their course around the
earth, or around the sun in company with the earth
and other planets. Tho "sbowcrs" being periodic
IN their times, gives tho
to the correctness of the thory which assigns tber
place of origin to dark bodies revolving around the
sun the orbits of these bodies being elptica would
at certain periods, bring them nearer the earth.
Among the remarkable displays Of this character,
tho most noted, both in respect to the number Of
Metsors and tho space which they extended, was
the famous shower Of November 1893. This phe.
nomenon produced, as might have been expected, NO
little CONSERVATION among the people Many thought
the stars wore dislodged from their places and were
flying in every directions that the heavens and the
Garth were or were about to be, fro, and that the
Judgment wns at hand. Strange fiery prodgieS we're
scon some in the form Of largo balls others like
pents in the air. again, thero would bo tho appear
aneo of luminous sickle-a square table suspended
in the air, and many other singular shapes. Some
times they would remain stationary for awhile, and
then move as if propelled by some unaccountable
force. gentleman, in describing the effect upon the
negroes, said be wus awakened by their shouts and
groanug terror, and not knowing what it meant, he
arose and stood at the duor with his sword. Present.
ly ho heard voice besccchng him to come out for
the world was OIL fire. On opening the door, he could
hardly cay which impressed him most the cries of the
negroes or the grandeur of the Ho could hear
tho noise of tho people from several adjoining planta
tions, and hundreds were PROSTATE On tho ground
praying for mercy ON the world and them. The light
of the rising "Dny STAR" finally put end to the
grand display, and relieved, to great extent, the
alurm OF the pcope-an alarm resulting either from
want of knowledge Of the true nature Of the phe
nomeuon, or want of faith in Him "who upholdetb
all things by the word sf His powcr"-"who made
Arcturus Orion and Peades and the chambers Of the
South ;"-"who bringeth forth Muzzaroth in his
son, and guides Arcturus and his sons"
In regard to the last two in the series. Mefeorites
are luminous sylid bodies, and Mcteoric Stones are
parts Of these thrown of by explosion other
The stones sometimes fall to the earth with tremend
Gus force, driving through houses, Ogs, or whatever
may be in their why, and burying themselves several
feet in the ground. They come hi1sng hot and usu-
ally strike tho earth in slanting. di lion. The
masses vary in weight from few pounds to several
tons, and nre composed Of substances or clements
similar to those found the uarh, though not in
similar combination.
Like Aeteors, -Hecorises are involved in much
mystery as to their origin. A variety of theories
have been broached upon the subject the most paus
bic Of which is, that Meteorites small dark bodo,
revolving in the Solar SYSTEM which coming OCCASION
ally near the earth, become ignited by their pro-
dgously rapid passage through the atmosphere, now
and then dropping fragment in their flight while
the Meteorites themselves keep their ways-the
carths attraction being overcome by their amazing