The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-10-20
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The Expeeted MetserAe ohSwsT-1Aees.
eating scientihe speeuiatieAs.
Professor Ferguson, Of the National OBJ
serYatory in Washington, il making arrange
ments to take scientific observations on the
expected ineteoric display in November next.
The subject of meteors and shooting stars has
engaged the attention Of eminent astrono-
mers within the last century to greater ex-
tent than ever before, among them Professor
Olmstead, Twining and Newton have written
valuable papers in connection with 1t.
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 10th OF
August and the 18th Of November. The
great meteoric shower of 1899 seems to have
drawn the attention of astronomers more par.
ticularlv 10 this subject, and from that time
to fhe recurrence of the meteoric showers Of
1898, and up to the present day, they have
been eudeavoring to refer the different phases
and characteristics Of the phenomenon to
known laws, and to establish the exact ami.
versary Of its appearance.
Thus far, the more brilliant of these me.
teoric showers have occurred ct intervals OF
thirty-three years; that of 1888 was especial.
" distinguished by the immense number OF
moving meteors TO be seen at once, and for
them. Among the many myriads of blazing
meteors visible on that occasion, one was
seen at several places on this continent. 1t
was recognized by several observers by its
extraordinary size and brilliancy, as well as
bv the length OF time its train remained visi>
bic, which was about ten minutes. The lu-
mlnous train seemed to follow the meteor IN
a serpentine course, and finally disappeared
in vast nebulous cloud. many times larger
than the moon. and which continued to move
onward with velocity greater than the
clouds.
The meteoric displays Of 1893 and 1888
were characterized by the fall of meteorites,
which, rushing towards the surface OF the
earth with a loud noise, penetrated beneath it
several feet. The periodicity of these starry
showers is not so definitely ascertained 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 1899, but the most remarkable of them
have appeared on the 18th of November, or
between that date and the lith.
The next appearance Of the meteoric phe>
nomenon, therefore, is expected on or about
the 18th Of next month. The observations OF
the astronomers have demonstrated that the
shooting stars are more numerous between
midnight aud sunrise, and the majority OF
lneTn agree III ilAln2 tue fa0idHt pofhs saoA
point IN which the lines described by the me-
teors in their Hight centre-in the constella>
ton Leo, limiting the area OF radiation TO the
immediate vicinity of Regilus 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 irregular recurrence of me
teoric showers, is that an unusual aggrega>
ton of these asteroids exist 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 observa-
tons have not been sufficiently numerous to
establish the exact period Of the earth q
arrival a, this part OF its orbit. During tAe
flight Of meteors in November, 1888, much
apprehension was manifested from the fear
that one or more ofthese asteroids would come
into collision with the earth but hitherto no
disastrous consequences have ensued from
this grand celestial display, and, although
there is some reason to believe that an event
of this kind is possible, scientific men unite
In the opinion that such calamity is no,
within the bounds Of probability.