The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-10-26
ExPECTED MErEoRIC SHOWER.

has devoted much time 90 the investigation
Of tho periodic nature Of meteoric showers,
finds that prodigious fight Of meteors,
the most imposing Of the kind. will then
make its appearance, probably for the last
time In this century, Only thirteen Of these
mctooro showers arc recorded between
the years 903 and 1888. That Of tho latter
year was u sublime spectacle. AEAGo com.
rutcs that not less than two hundred and
forty thousand meteors were visible above
the horizon of Boston on tho morning Of
tho 18th of November, 1893. This display
was soen all ovor North America. A sim
liar display was seen by HUMBOLDT at Gu
mana, South America, in 1899. Tho com
parison of the epochs of appearance Of these
great showers, has lod to tho discovery that
they arc periodic, their returns boing sep
arated from each other by tho third part Of
a century, or multiple Of this period, and
are periodical appearances Of ono grand
motcoric shower. Such u rare phenomenon
awakens deep interest among all classes
Of persons. Preparations to observe this
sublime spectacle, for scientific purposes
have already commenced at tho Observable
rics, both in this country and IN Europe.
A correspondent OF tho Boston Comn,or.
cial furnishes tho following interesting
facts aud speculations in mctcoric history
lie says;
The subject of motoors and shooting stars
has engaged the attention of eminent astr on.
omcrs within the last century to a greater
extent than ever before among them Pro
fcssors Olmsted, Twining and Newton have
written valuable papers III connection with
it,
The appearance Of shooting stars is quito
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 meteoro shower of 1899 seems to
have drawn the attention of astronomers
more particularly to this subject, and from
that time to the recurrence of the meteorc
shower in 1888, and up to tho present day,
they have been ondeavorng to refer tho
different phases and characteristics OF the
phenomonon to known laws, and to estab
lish the exact anniversary of its appearance.
Thus far the moro brilliant of these mo.
teorio showers have occurred at Intervals
of thirty-lhroe years; that of 1888 WAS es-
pocially distinguished by tho immense mum
Der OF moving metoors to be seen at once
aud for the remarkable sizo and splondor OF
many of them. Among the many myriads
of blazing metoors visible Oh that occasion
one was seen at several places on this con.
tiuent. 1t was recognized by several oh.
servers by it's extraordinary size and bril-
liancy, 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 a 5erpuntine course
and finally disappeared in vast nebulous
cloud, many times larger than the moon,
and which continued to move onward with
vel city greater than the clouds.
The meteoric displays of 1899 and 1888
were characterized by tho fall of mete orites,
which, rushing toward the earth with a loud
noise, penetrated beneath it several feet.
The periodicity of these starry showers is
not 80 definitely ascertained with regard to
the day as to the year. They have occurred
to u greater or less degree in tho mouths of
August and November, from 1888 to 1889
but the most remarkable Of them have APP
peared on the 18th of November, or between
that date aud the l4th.
Tho next appearances of the metcoric phe.
nomonon, therefore, liz expected on or about
tho 18th of next month. The observations
of the astronomers have demonstrated that
the shooting stars are moro numerous be.
tween midnight and sunrise, aud the major
ity OF them agree that in fixing the radiant
point-that point in which tho limos de-
soribed by the meteors in their flight center
in the constellation Leo. limiting the area
of radiation to the immediate vicinity of
Regulus in tho neck OF the Lion. Others
assign the radiant point to the constellation
Orion.
The theory most generally accepted in
accounting for the regular recurrence of
meteoric showers is that an unusual az.
gregation of these asteroids exists in the
plane which is reached by tho earth at that
point OF its orbit, and through which the
earth is several hours in passing, although
observations have not been sufficiently nu.
merous to establish the exact period of the
earth's arrival at this part of its orbit. Du.
ring tho flight of meteors in November,
1888, much apprehension was manifested
from the fear that ono or more OF these as.
teroids would come iuto collision with the
earth but hitherto no disastrous conse-
quences have ensued from this grand ce-
lestial display and although there is reason
to believe that an event of this kind is pos
sihle, scientific mon unite in tho opinion
that such calamity is not within the
bounds of probability.
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