Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-10-30
The Expected NIeIeOric shower in 3
NoVember-The Showers of I7OP
and 1883. a--..E -- --.----L- - ...L,i.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Oct. L.,

f,rr ..,., WAsHINGToN, D. c., Oct. T.,
Prof. Ferguson, of the National Observa-
tory in this city, Is making arrangements TO
take scientific observatiOnsOn theieXapeeted
mrteoric disnlav in November next. TIE
subject of meteors and shooting stars al
engaged the attention of eminent astroto-
mers within the last century to a greater
extent than ever before, among them Prois.
Olmstead, Twining and Newton have
written valuable papers III connection with
it. -7lI no a.ni.lf z't.at.t .vaD
The appearance of shooting stars is quite
common. but in the months of August and
: November of each year they are seen in
greater numbers generally about the 18th
+ of November, The great meteOric shower
of 1899 seems to have drawn the attention
of astronomers more particularly to this
! subject, and from that time 10 the recurT
renee OF the meteoric showers in 1888, and
!. up to the present daV. they have been en-
I deavOring to refer the different phases and
characteristics of the phenomenon to laws,
and to establish the exact anniversary of its
; appearance.
Thus far the more brilliant of these me-E
teOric showers have occurred at intervals
of 80 years., that of 1888 was especially
distinguished by the immense number of
moving meteors to be seen at once, and fOrft
the remarkable size and splendor of many
of them. Among the myrialls Of blazing
meteors visible on that occasion. one was
seen at several places on this continent. aItlD
was recognized by several observers by its
extraordinary size and brlliancy, as well
as by the length Of time its train remained u
visible, which was about ten minutes. The 3
luminous train seemed to follow the meteor
} in serpentine course, and finally disap-
peared ina vast nebulous cloud, many timRsd
larger than the moon, aud which continued
to move onward with velocity greater
than the clouds. ''F'of p
! The meteoric displays of 1903 and 1888
3 were characterized by the fall of meteOr-,f
8 ties, which, rushing towards the surface of
b the earth with a loud noise, penetrated be-
I neatlp 10 several feet. The periodicty OIL
these starry showers is not so definitely,
ascertaned with regard to the day as the
year. They have occurred to a greater or
b less degree in the months of August aHds
November, from 1888 to 1889; but the most,
! remarkable of them have appeared on the
. l2th Of November, or between that date
The next appearance of the meteoric,.
phenomenon, therefore, is expected on Or"
about the 18th of next month. The obser-
vations of astronomers have demonstratedY
! that the shooting stars are more numerous
between midnight and sunrise, and the nH-7
jority of them agree in fixing the radiant
, point--that point in which the lines de-h
/ sCIlOCu NY bilS III Lnch
in the constellation Leo, limiting the area
ofradiant tothe Immediate vicinity of Reg
. ulus jim theneck of the lion. Others, assign,
2 the radiant point to the constellation
Orion. . ioi sn"nii9s
The theory most generally aeceptedip
B accounting for the regular recurrence of
J meteoric showers, Is that an UNUSUAL aggre!a
CATION of these astelo oids e7ist in the planeot
J Whichlis reachedbythe earth at that point
of its orbit aud through, which the earth Is, \.
several hours in passing. although OBSERVE
! tions have not been sufficiently nutnefoHsia
to establish the exact period of the eartlis
arriyal7at this part of its orbit. During.
the flight of meteors in November, 1S3S,s
much apprehension was manifested 'front.'
the fear that one or more of these asteroids
! would come into collision with the eaIth;s-
but hitherto no disastrous Consequences =
|. have ensued from this grand celestial dis-Q
playoand although there Is some reason TO
believe that an event Of this Kinds possible,
scientific men unite In the opiiIfon thatsuchol
a calamity is not within the boundsl OfaI
probability. .lsis1isno