Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1860-07-27
wonderful ,1eteoric phcnonenan.

On Friday evening last. about twen; \la:-
nutes before ten O'Clock, one OF the most ~
markabc phenomena Of the heavens that has
occurred during the present century, VAS VII.
messed by citizens Of New York. Pi:iiaG@'ih.a,
Baltimore, Washington, Norfolk sud o;n'r
places near to those cities. al who Witnessed
it represent it Us two balls Of fire pass:n: irc"
west to cast, occupying nearly 4 minute III the
circuit and connected together by I brlliian.
red and grcen.tnted spray ot light similar 10
that witnessed at the explosion Of a shyrocng.
The two balls were to tic eye about four Zee.
apart and moved 50 slowly and regularly 10
gether as to preclude the possibility Of their
being meteors. The Washington, New Iorl;
and Philadelphia papers, all contain ne;icsS @!
its appearance in those localities, from w!l.ch
we make the following extracts
AS SEES lN NE"' Y0WI
The New York Evening Post says:
1t appeared 1t about ten o'clock over tie UP.
per part Of our city. The night was woi N AMI
close, and tire skies was occasionally !!U:nina.
mated by vivid flashes Of sheet lightning. 'ha
heat Of the weather had brought the c:ear iria-
jority OF our population 10 their doors and w.n.
dOwS, when suddenly, i'll L Sllc"cc more ia.
preSsire than any thunder shock. a meteor s!:ot
across the sky It's b:illInHcv was 50 great
that people at once supposed there w&S ii:e
near by; but, looking up. they saw two bail>
OF flame cOurSln2 across the SKY front the north!
west, and going towards the southeast. Ike iwo
chariots Of lire urging their way ii some iIy;.
terious over the mighty course 70: ;"c h'r!-
ament The motion was majestic rattle: :""t:i
rapid, and gave nyriadS OF people AZ p0ril!
nifty Of witnessing thc sight, while The apva-
rent nearneSS of the flame to the cart!. caused
many to suppose ut first that il was merely: :.
pyrotcchnical display.
1t presented different aspects 1t different
times When first seen i,appcarci like u blue
star surrounded b: thick mist coming ro!::
| the west. which, OH nearing the zenith. chang
ed TO Il red ball OF flame: this Soon split The
two balls keeping ncar together Unt!i lost IL
the distance Some Of those who sax !. thought
It fell near Broadway ami Fifteenth street,
while others traced 1t with tho eye Is lar ~ lu3
East river, on its way horizontally o"cr tie
city. OF the szr OF these balls OF lire il is m
possible to form any accurate estimate. Th2y
appeared to be as large rs 1 dinner plate W.!
trails eight or ten feet IN length yet ~" lea !hs
morning THAI at very nearly the same t::Ie taa;
our observations were made, tic niclc"r a.So
passed over Albany, while from r.riou: VoIS
along the Hudson We have received Information
showing that It's orbit plav have hcen, perhaps
Of planetary dimensions. and that it WIS 'mii;a
larger and much higher than il S,r...r'i i; Ike
! time to any who SAW It.
AS IT APPEARED ~ PHILADELPHIA.
Last evening about liaf.pa>t :'ire, very
| extraordinary meteor ,n;;de its appearance IN
! the Heavens The writer vas ri,Iia:; IN G!paG
street below tlic city, AID had Il fair va" c'
the phenomenon in il; whole course. Il a;nE"
in the Northwestern part Of the Heavens. rom
cloud which was not revealed anti The l!i,!.:
of the meteor made it visible. Then an object
about the size Of the full moon, and as bright,
suddenly started from the cloud, trave Sed III
direct Easterly line the whole extent OF visible
space. dropping fire, apparently, in its course
/ like Il rocket, till it passed SO far Eastward rs
/ to resemble red ball abou, twice the size Of
! the planet Mars, visible in the Southeast. So
soon as it disappeared, Z las! like heat light
ninY revealed cloud 10 thc Eastward. iuw
down in the horizon, which continued TO r,ht;
flashes Of light for hali.an-hour Afterwards
: The phenomenon At one time seemed 10 Scp1-
rate like rocket when il bursts, b;:: III" lar
ger portion keeping in straight course TO.
wards the eastward. IL was witnessed uy
many persons, and caused considerable "oi-
derlnent for the time, and Was certainly thc
most extraordinary appearance that "S ever
saw in the Heavens. Its motion WIS iut 80 fast.
apparently, rs that %! rocket, though H.
| height and the vast extent ni space ihat II ira.
rerScd, proved that lis velocity iiGs; haze cA-
ceedcd that produced by any k"cwn iorcc
which we are acquainted vita. The i'nenon,c-
nop from all appearances. .n,:St have vccr "iec-
! trical.
AS IT APPEARED 1T wAsHISGro%.
A correspondent Of the Washington Star
says:
At half:past nine last night Il meteor ap.
| pcarcd in the Northeast, AZ an elc"atiO:: q!
! about ten degrees above the horizon. |;
moved through descending path to the Eas;
Northeast, and faded away III the clouds. it.
consisted OF two bodies each as bright IS
Venus when close to the earth. One followed
the other so closely rs To make them appear
! like an immense chain.sho,. Ii lasted aboT.
| so seconds, and was seen by five or six others
at the same time, each onc rcmarEiag is heiH.
divided into two parts.
As IT APPEARED IT NORFOLK.
The Norfolk Day Book, Of Saturday, says:
Last night aLou: haIl.past ;cn u'cloc. We
| witnessed one Of the most strange ana h"Huti-
ful displays OF the meteor kind that has ever
come under our observation; and ihcugn II is
difficult to describe. we attempt il Ii shape,
the meteor resenblcd two dInb bells ana were
of exceeding brliancy, and starting :rona ::
Northwest direction, continued n; an :ncom.
prehcnsblc speed towards the East. in The
course, dropping one by one Of the balls oi Inc
imaginary bells. until nothing WAS LETT bnt =
mere speck, which quickly disappeared from
view. We make 10 prelenS;on> TO as'ronomi-
CT! lore, and Therefore hazard no explanation
of this singular phenomcna. We notcch "}so
| that in the direction from which tic mcteo.
started 4 formidable looking cloud had ba"kcd
up, which Immediately dispersed "hen 'he
I a.