The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-11-14
The Expected Meteoric shower In No.


vember.
The public has been advised for sons
time, by the papers, that on or about the
18th, 14th or 10th of November, proximo. .
grand meteoric display. such has not been
Witnessed since 1888, would occur. We learn,
through the National lstslligencer, that Pro- :
fessor Ferguson, of the National 0bservato-
~, is making arrangementsto take scientific
observations on the expected phenemena,r-
The Washington paper furnishes interesting
data on the subject. a.portiou cfwhich we
suhjoin as possessing no. little interest," In con-
nection with the nearness Of the anticipated
display {:
The appearance Of shooting stars is quite
common. hut in the months of August and
November of each year they are seen in great
er numbers, generally about 10th Of August
and 12th Of November. The great meteoric
shower of 1890 seems to have drawn the at
tention of astronomers more particularly to
this subject, and from that time to the recur:
renee of the meteoric showers in 1888, and
up to the present day, they have been en-
deavoring to refer the different phases and
characteristics of the phenomenon to known
laws, and to establish the exact anniversary
of its appearance.
Thus far the more brilliant of these mete-
,oric showers have occurred at intervals Ut
thirty-three years that Of 1888 was especial
ly distinguished by the immense numbers OF
moving nleteors to he seen at onoe, and for
the remarkable size and splendor of many Of
them. Among the myriads of blazing me-
teors visible on that occasion, one was seen
at several places of this continent. It was
recognized by several observers by Its extra
ordinary size and brilliancy. as well as by
the length OF time its train remained visible,
which was about ten minutes. The luminous
train seemed to follow the meteor in SER
pentine course and finally disappeared in a
vast nebulous cloud, many times larger than
the moon and which continued to move on
ward with a 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 loud noise. penetrated beneath
it several feet. The periodIicity of these star
ry showers is not so definitely .ascertained
with regard'to the day as the year.. They
occurred to greater or less degree in the
months of August and November, from 1888
to 1889 but the most remarkable of them
appeared on the 18th of November, or be-
tween that day and the 14th.
The next appearance ofthe meteoric phe-
nomenon, therefore, is expected on or about
the 12th of next month. The observations
of astronomers have demonstrateds that the
shooting stars are more numerous between
midnight 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 center-in the constel-
lation Leo, limiting the area of radiation to
the immediate vicinity of Regulus, in the neck
of the lion. Others assign the radiant point
to the constellation Orion.
The theory most generally accepted IN &c
counting for the regular occurrence Of mete-
oric showers is that an unusual aggregation
of these asteroids exist in the plane which is
reached by the earth at that point of its or
bit. and through which the earth is several
hours in passing, although observations have
not been sufficiently numerous to establish
the exact period of the earth's arrival at this
part of its orbit. During the flight of me
te0rs in November, 1888, much appHhen
sion was manifested from the fear that one
or more of these asteroids would come into
collision with the earth but hitherto no dis
astrous consequences have ensued from thii
grand celestial display, and although ther,
is some reason to believe that an event o.
this kind is possible. scientific men unite il
the opinion that such calamity is not with
in the bounds of probability.