Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1866-11-09
The Expected Meteoric Shower
in November.

Some weeks since we published an item
relative to q meteoric shower, predicted
and expected this month by some OF the
scientific men. The following on the SUBJ
ject is from the Washington correspondent
of the N. Y. Herald:
WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct 1866.
Professor Fugerson, of the National
Observatory in this city, is making ar
rangements TO take scientific observations
on the expected meteorie display in No
vember next. The subject of meteors and
shooting stars has engaged the attention of
eminent astronomers within the hast cen-
fury to q greater extent than ever before
| among them Professors 0mstead, Twin
| ing and Newton have written valuable
papers in connection with it.
The appearance of shooting stars is
quite common, but in the months Of Au-
gust ami November of each year they are
| sCtn fftH HI SiCotti SCh' thAJ
about the 10Th of August and the 18th CT
NOvembrT. The great meteoric shower
of 1899 seems 10 have drawn the attention
of astronomers more particularly 10 this
subject. and from that time 10 the recur-
renee Of the meteoric showers in 1888, and
up TO the present day, they have been en-
deayoring to refer the different phases and
characteristics Of the phenomenon to
known laws, and to establish the exact an
iversary OF its appearance.
Thus far the more brilliant of these me-
teOric showers have occurred at intervals
Of thirty-three years that of 1888 was
especially distinguished by the immense
number Of moving meteors to be seen at
once, and for the remarkable size and
splendor of many Of them. Among the
myriads of blazing meteors visible on that
occasion, one was seen at several places on
the continent. Ii was recognized by sew
eral Observers by its extraordinary size
and brilliancy, as well as by The length of
time its train remained visible, which was
about ten minutes. The luminous train
seemed to follow the meteor in serpen,
tine course, and finally disappeared in a
vast nebulons cloud, many times larger
| than the moon. ard which continued to
move onward with velocity greater than
the clio Dis.
The ne eoric displays of 1899 and 1888
were characterized by the fall of meteoIi-
ties, which, rushing towards the surface of
the earth with loud noise, penetrated be-
meath it several feet. The perodicity of
these starry showers is not so definitely
aseertained with regard to the day as to
the year. They have occurred to great.
eP or less degree in the month of August
and November, from 1883 to 1899 but
the most remarkable Of them have appear.
sd on the II h of November, or between
THAI date and the fourteenth.
The next appearance Of the meteoric
! phenomenon, therefore, is expected on or
about the 18th Of next month. TIE Oh
| servations of astronomers have demon.
strated that the shooting stars are more
numerous between midnight and sunrise,
and the majority of them agree in fixing
the radient pont--that point in which the
lines described by the meteors in the;r
flight centre--in the constellation Leo
limiting the area of radiation 10 the i'm
mediate vicinity of Reguus 10 the neck Of
the lion. Others assign the radient poin
to the constellation Orion.
| The theory most generally accepted II
accounting for the regular recurrence o.
meteoric showers, is that of unusudl 40
gregation of these asteroids exists in III,
plane which is reached by the earth a
that point Of its orbit, and through which
the earth is several hours in passing, al
though observations have not been suiIi
GENTLY numerous TO establish the exac; ne
Rod of the earth's arrival at this part o
its orbit. During the fight of meteors i
November, 1888, much apprehension wa
manifested from the fear that one or NOR
of these asteroids would come into collisio
with the earth; but hitherto no disastrou
consequences have ensued from this gran
celestial display, and although there i
some reason to believe that an event q
this kind is possible, scientific men unite i
the opinion that such a calamity Is nc
within the bounds of probability.
WILD Cars KILLED.-A fortnioh
since Chas. Whitney caught wild wood
cat on or near South Mountain in Bris,o
with trap. The animal had gone int
the top of tree with trap, chain, an
clog, the whole weighing ten pounds, m
Mr.. Whitney went up after it, hoping