The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-11-14

the display becomes grand and 1nmiu4
Gus beyond anything ordinarily seen
when q small number Of stars shoot
fromq their spheres athWart the sky or
towards the earth. 81
EVERY one must have observed,
when abroad on clear night, the occa-
sional sudden appearance of a star-like
object gliding swiftly athwart the starry
conCaYe, leaving behind q fine phos-
Phorescent line of light which quickly
fades from view. There are but few
nights In a year when one or more OF
these spasmodic shooting stars cannot
be seen somewhere in the heavens. It
has long been known that twice q year
a great many of these shooting stars
may be seen, sometimes hundreds in
one night, ON the 9th and 10th of Au-
gust, and 18th and 18th of November of
every year, these small meteoric show
ers occur. d5 lat snt
Beside the periodical character of the
phenomenon, 1t has been noted that on
each occasion of a metoric display, the
meteorB dtYerge from particular con-
stellations. Tho August shower, from
the star b, CdnleLOpnTdGLiG and the
November shower from the star Gam
ma, LeOglis, one of the stars forming
the sickle in that constellation.
Further investigation OF this 4phe-
nomenon has led to the discovery of
another period of meteoriO showers be-
sides the annual one.s This period con-
sists ofthirty-thFee years, which separ-
ate the recurrence of extraordinary
meteoric showers. Between the years
a. ID. 903 and A. D.. 1888, thirteen of
these great showers are recorded, sep
arated from each other by intervals of
thirty-three and sixty-six years. The
last two occurred in November, 1893,
and id November, 1888. iro1
1t is not a little remarkable that the
epoch of these great periodic showers
shower; and that their point of diver
gence in the heavens is the same. In
deed the phenomenon of long period
differs from that of the annual period,
only In its numerical character.
The constellation Leo, whence the
meteors principally diverge, rises in the
p. n. e. about midnight. The Eastern
heavens will be the theatre of display y
The theory of this meteoric shower is
that at this period, the earth in its
course through space, crosses region
where meteors are circulating, and
that these become luminous, and ex-
hibit themselves in our atmosphere.
Far above and beyond these corruscat-
Ding bodies are seen the real stars of the
armament, which continue to keep
their places as if nothing had happened.
The meteor or shooting star" and the
tereolite, are distinct phenomena. The
latter consists Of mass of metal which
falls to the earth, and is often found.
The former is but flame apparently, and
leaves no deposit behind. A shower Of
ereolites might be worse than rain OF
pitchforks or paving stones. One OF
shooting stars is like splendid display
of fireworks, so distant that no sound
comes to the ear.
The following account is on record in
regard to the great Meteoric display OF
1888: a.. ~. l....
The sky was remarkably clear on the
night of this remarkable phenomena.
Some time before twelve O'Clock, the
meteors so frequently seen on Summer
evenings, called shooting stars, were
observed to fall with unusual frequen-
cy and splendor. They continued from
that hour to flash athwart the skies
more and more, until they were eclips-
ed by the glories of the rising sun this
morning. From four to six they were
very numerous and refulgent. Not n
cloud obscured the broad expanse, and
millions of meteors sped their way
across it on every point of the COM
pass. Were 1t possible to enumerate
them in the Swiftness of their arroWy
haste, we might venture to say that for
the space of two hours, Intervening be-
tween four and six, more than thous-
and per minute might have been count
ed. Their cOEuscations were bright,
cleaning and incessant, and they fell
thick as flakes In the early SHOWS of De-
cember. In one instance, one distinctly
heard the explosion of a meteor that
shot across to the Northwest, leaving a
broad and luminous truck, and wit
messed another which left path oflight
that was clearly discernibIe for more
than ten minutes after the ball, if such
1t be, had exploded. Its length was
gradually, shortened, widening in the
centre, and apparently consisted of sep
arate and distinct globuleS of light,
drawing around a common centre, glim-
mering less and less yividly until they
finally faded away. in the distance.
Compared with the splendor of this ce-
lestial exhibition, the most brilliant
rockets and fireworks of art bore less
relation than thetwinkling Of the most
tiny star to the broad glare OF the sun.
The whole heavens seemed in motion,
and never before has it fallen to our lot
to observe a phenomenon SO magnifi-
centand sublime." iH a9s -
ft
The Vote I'm this Congressional Dis.
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