Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-11-02
From the National Intellioencer.
TIE Expected Me.ecric Shower in Noyem
Der.

UCFs
Professor Ferguson, of the National OBJ
servatory III 'his CITY, is making arrange
ulen1s 10 take scientific observations on the
expected netcoric display ill November next.
The appearance OF shooting stars is quite
common, put in the months of August and
November Of each year they are seen in great
er numbers, generally about the 10th and
18th of November. The great meteoric
shower of 1889 seems to have drawn the at
tcntion OF astronomers more particularly to
this subject, and from that time to the recur-
renee of the meteoric showers in 1888, and
up 10 the present day, they have been endeav
otns to refer the different phases and char
actelistcs OF the phenomenon to known laws,
and 70 establish the exact anniversary of its
altpea'ance
ihus far the more brilliant of these mete-
ORC showers have occurred at intervals of
thirty -,hree years, thatof 1888 was especial
ly 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 me-
teors visible on the occasion, one was seen at
several places on this continent. 1t was rec
o.nizcd by several observers by it's extraor-
binary size and briliancy, as well as by the
slength of time it's train remained visible,
which was about ten minutes The lumin-
Gus train seemed to follow the meteor in a
serp, milne 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 1899 and 1888
were characterized by the fall Of meteorites,
which, rushing towards the surface of the
earth with ii loud noise, penetrated beneath
it several feet. The periodicty of these star
ry showers is not SO definitely ascertained
with regard to the day as the year They
have occurred to greater or less degree in
the months Of August and November, from
1888 to 1889 but the most remarkable Of
them have appeared on the 18th Of Noven-
Der. or between that day and the 18th.
The next appearance of the meteoric phe-
nomenon, therefore, is expected on or about
the 18th of November. The observations of
astronomers have demonstrated that the shoot
ing stars are more numerous between mid
night and sunrise, and the majority Of them
agree in fixing the radiant point-that point
in which the lines described by the meteors
in their flight centre-in the constellation
Leo, limiting the area of radiation to the i'm
mediate vicinity of Regulus, in the neck Of
the lion. Others assign the radiant point tc
tbo oo,o+o}1a+:o, (1,;ox, '-..-...r-
The theory most generally accepted in ac-
counting for the regular occurrence Of mete-
ORIG showers is that an unusual aggregation
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 observations have MOI
been sufficiently numerous to establish the ex
act period of the earths arrival at this par
Of its orbit. During the flight of meteors il
November, 1898, much apprehension wa.
manifested from the fear thtu one or more q
these asteroids rould come into collision acit/
the earth but hitherto no disastrous conse
quenccs hure e,,saed from this grand cclestia
displav, and althongh there IS some reoso,
to Mieue that ON eucat OF hts kind as posi-
bic, scientific men unite in the opinion tina
such a calamity is not within the bounds o
probability.
Bets of two to one are freely offered il
this city that the grand display will no
come off" We, however, do not doub
that the show will take place, and we canno
help rejecting what narrowing thing
would be should one of the meteoric bodies
say about the size Of South Carolina, strik
ia its flight the State of Massachusetts, i'm
ringing first on Bunker Hill. -Richnaone
Times.