The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1860-08-10
The Meteor of July Twenticth.

from all tn" Hc'Ount5 tnHJ nave
as yet reached ~, this wonderful
meteor, or cluster of meteors, for
such it was. was first seen by the
inhabitants of Detroit, Michigan. -
From the statements given, they
seem to have observed it at the
moment that it became luminous
from entering the earth's a,mos
pherc. 1t was undoubtedly seen
much further West, and we may yet
hear that such has been the chse.
At that time, it was about forty.
five miles from the surface Of the
earth. BY the observation of DR..
Peter, of Hamilton College, Clinton
New York, it WAS 80 miles high
when it passed South Of that place.
Another excellent observation Tor
determining its hrigh. was made hv
u .,cn.lcmpn all'utnn New ' 'r,
who SAW it actual occult the planet
Mars.
Its nearest approach to tho earth 5
surface was when it passed over the
Hudson, at an allituIe Of nearly
thirty five miles. The observations
made at the Cambridge observatory
give it the same latitude above the
sea when bearing South. 1t was
then about 80 miles South Of l'Ns-
ton. When 1t first became visible,
/, il WAS over the central part Of
Michigan; it then passed over Lake
Huron, passed few miles South OF
the falls of Niagara, travcrsing the
state of New York in All East South
Easterly direction, and crossing the
Hudson little to the South OF West
Point. The last we hear Of it To-
that it was seen by two vessels,
which were severally 250 and 300
miles out at sea.
Professor Bond considers it proba-
BILE that it did not fall upon the earth;
but that, continuing its uninterrupt.
cd course, it passed out Of our at
mosphere while over the Atlantic
Ocean. But Notwithstanding this
deduction best satisfies the observs,
tions hitherto received, We should
look, with much interest for accounts
from Bermuda and the Cape Verde
Islands, both OF which lie near thu
presumed path Of tho meteor, alsc
from vessels which may have beer
sufficiently near its track to hav,
witnessed it.
j Not the least interesting inciden
connected with its appearance il
this vicinity, is the fact Of its having
, been observed through telescope o
five inches aperture by Mr.. @. A
T Damon, oi this city, who char crd II
the moment to be looking at tn
planet Mars. Seeing the light of th'
, meteor, he turned his telescope upoI
+, it, and followed its course until i
, passed ont OF sight. lie mado
0 sketch OF its appearance, Showing
that the train of sparks which it LOT
I behind, came from tho front Of tn
9 mass, where, from the comprcssio
4 of the air being greatest, the com
). bustion was most intense Thi
g may also explain why the mcteo
a appeared so white and brilliant
n first, when tho front of it. in al il
II candescen! state, was presented
Ia view, and red when it had passc
tho beholhcrs, who then saw I'll
back of it, where the heat was M
80 violent. This sketch Mr., Damo
sent to Prof, Bond, through who's
Mt kindness wo havo been allowed
4 examine it, and from whom we ha,
re- obtained most Of tho iniormatio
lie Lerein contained. The appearan'
n, of the sparkle, a. they burst from Il
IN front Of tho meteor, and then ie
=, back to form the tail, iorcibly r.
q minded us of Donati's comet,
y; seen through tho great telescope
al Cambridge.
The least diameter Of the princip
Of mass was halfa mile; how mnch
this may have been gas or smo
,ro cannot bo ascertained, but it is IA
'u- to suppose that the rapid rate tive
he ty miles in a second-at which
en- passed through the air, would lea
me all the lighter particles detach
Inc from il in its rear Postscript
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