The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-11-14
n The Meteorlc Shower at New York.

/ - hS "eteOElc SnOWeT AT view hOEhs
what little there was visible in New YORK, in
the way OF starry shower, is thus described
by the World oil this morning;--
Inc SKY wore misty haze, which trans.
parent by strict rules still perceptibly dimmed
the lucdlty OF the sunlight, so that, from zeuth
10 horizon, the heavens were covered with
mild and, at times, dispartng veil of a floating
neoular cast, behind which the azure stood out
IN beautiful dIstmctness. In the evening this
haze changed TO reddish halo, which appeared
around each stellar group and constellation,
particularly that OF Leo, and the sky upon the
whole, last night presented very observable
similarity TO the period OF 1888.
There was no moon, though the stars were
visible IN extraordinary number even for them.
strange to relate, although on both Monday
and Tuesday nights the moon was wanting the
city, nevertheless, was as light as if bathed in
tuli lunar splendor. This singular fact which
occasioned remark on all sides, was undoubtedly
owing to the reflected light OF still distant but
nearing meteors, and the splendor of the train
left in the wake OF those that were here and
there visible to vigilant eazers Whether the
full effect OF the shower of 1866 has as yet been
visible during the last two evenings or not,
there is no doubt that very decided and quite
frequent phenomena nave been passing through
the nocturnal air, and II is quite probable that
during the daytime of yesterday the earth's
orD't passed the ORBIT OF the meleoric zone, aud
the grandest splendor went by us unseen.
A few minutes after o'clock, Just over jersey
CITY, there were distinctly ttaceable five bril-
liant shooting stars that proceeded east Wardly
JIOlu Leo, So nearly IDe one after the Ollor
undoubtedly 10 belong to the same cluster, pro
ducing phosphorescent lines along their course
and IN one instance forming into the momentary
shape OF prode. Before they disappeared they
emitted luminous trains, out of which darted
three spheroldal hre-balls, which almost at once
dlssipated IN air. This cluster lett behind quite
a brilliant light for about twenty-three secondsj
duration. and was marked by a Kissing sound
distinctly audible, tlOm which fact the accom-
panying presence OF aereoItes was very pro-
babIe.
Four little meteors at 81 O'Clock, appeared in
the air above FIity-ninth street and EiUhth
avenue. and arose from the southwest, near the
Great Bear. Instantly succeeding came another
meteor at an inclination OF l7b degrees slightly
vest of north OF the zenith, Quite a group
followed.
The next came in the west, some 81 de-
gTees below the zenith, and the next eastward.
not more than 10 apparent degrees above the
horizon. There was an average time of three
minutes between these successive flights Con-
ms Major and Urea Major were the limits be-
tween whicn they were visible. They touched
in most instances the outer extreme OF the
Milky Way.
Between u and O'Clock the shooting stars
came up in larger numbers than had as vet
occurred during the pending OF the present
shower. Small they we're, even so small as 20
De by the unsclentlhc mistaken for mere moving
or wavy nebul@. While all directions were
observed southward was theT principal course
though a third preserved a southwest course.
At one time eleven stars shot towards the
horizon in company. Their trains intercrossed
and left lurid brlliauce impressed for the
space Of several seconds on the atmosphere
Two were extremely large compared with the
Others, though there were none that were, vie wed
alone, beyond minor magnitude. Seven flights
solitaire succeeded. A large bold meteor few
minutes after O'clock passed ON Arcturus
towards the northwest, and it was rocket-nke In
the luminous effect it traced upon the air. 1t
soon separated into two balls, which kept along
together, emitting sparks tnat appeared to be
flames. During the early hours OF this morning
the heavens were frequently crossed by these
fiery strangers, and the number of them visible
to tele~copc tests in this latitude was uoWards
OF 7i9 per hour for two hours, and after that in
lesser numbe As we GO to press the meteors
are still at times to be seen, but the nearing day
is rendering their visibility momently less.