The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-10-26
The Expected Meceoric Shower in No
vember
w ashingtOn. d. c.. Oct. I

Washington, d. c., Oct. I.
Piof. Gerguson, Of the national observa-
tory in this city, is making arrangements to
take scientific observations on the expected
meteoric display in November next. The
subject Of meteors and shooting stars had
engaged the attention OF eminent astrono-
mers within the last century toa greater ex.
tent than ever before; among them Prof.
Olmstead, Twining and Newton have writ
ten valuable papers in connection with it.
The appearance of shooting stars is quite
common, but in the months of August and
November of each year they are seen III
greater numbers, generally about the 18th
OF November The great mete0ric shower
Of 1899 seems to have drawn the attention
OF astronomers more particularly to this
subject, and from that time to the recur-
renee Of the mcteOrlc showers in 1888, and
up to the present day, they have been en-
deavorng to refer the different phases and
characteristics of the phenomenon to known
laws, and to establish the exact anniversary
OF Its appearance.
Thus far the more brilliant Of these me-
teOgic showers have occurred at intervals Of
355 years; that Of 1888 was especially dis
tlnguished by the immense number of NOV
ing meteOrs to be seen at once, and for the
remarkable size and splendor of many of
them. Among the myriads Of blazing me-
tcOrS visible on that occasion, enc was seen
at several places on this continent. 1t was
recognized by several observers by its ex-
traordinary size and briliancy, a. we'll as by
the length of time its train remained vioi-
BE, which was about ten minutes, The lu
minous train seemed to follow the meteor
in scrpcntine course, and finally diSap-
pears In vast nebulous cloud, many times
larger than the moon, and which continues
to move onward with velocity greater than
the clouds
TIE mcteoric displays of 1899 and 1888
were characterized by the fall Of meteurites,
which, rushing towards the surface of the
Garth with loud noise, penetrated beneath
it several feet The periodicity Of these
starry showers is not so definitely ascer-
tanned with regard to the day as to the
year. They have occurred to greater Or
less degree in the months Of August and
November, from 1888 to 1888; but the
most lcmarkable Of them have appeared on
the 18th OF November, or between that
date and the 18th.
The next appearance Of the metcoric
phenomenon, therefore, Is expected on or
about the l2th Of next month. The Oh
servations Of astronomers have lcmonstla-
ted that the shooting stars are more numcr-
Gus between midnight and sunrise, and the
majority Of them agree in fixing the radiant
point-that point in which the lines de-
scribcd by the mcteors in their flight cen
ter-in the constellation Leo limiting the
area Of radiation to the immediate vicinity
of Rcgulus in the neck Of the lion. Others
assign the radiant point to the constellation
Orion.
The theory most generally accepted in ac
counting for the regular recurrence Of me-
teOric showers, is that an unusual aggrega-
ton Of these asteroids exists in the plane
which is reached by the earth at that point
Of its orbit and through which the earth
is several hours in passing, although OBJ
servations have not been sufficiently numer-
Gus TO establish The exact period of the
carth's arrival at this part Of its orbit
During the flight Of meteors in November
1893, much apprehension was manifested
from the fear that one or more OF these as
teroids would come into collisions with the
earth but hitherto no disastrous conse
quences have cnsued from this grand celes-
tial display, and, although there is some
reason to believe that an event Of this kind
is possible, scientific men unite in the opin-
ion that such calamity is not within the
bounds Of probability,