The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-16
MORE ABOUT THE METEORs.
from the Hartford Times. Nov. Al


meteorc shower and they We're happily favored in |
this region ut least. The display last night was re-
markaby fine Here the atmosphere was clear the |
stars twlnkllng and shining brilliantly through the
biue sky-more brilliantly, indeed, than they have |
appeared on any night this fall. At midnight Jupiter
biazed IN the west like diamond, and seemed to |
preside the carnival OF the dancing myrads vi
AZ about half.past eleven O'Clock the display com
menced, and 1t lasted TIL four IN the morning,
showing to the best advantage from twelve to three
Two three OF the dashing meteors could be
seen Nthe skies every minute and often several at
q time were coursing on their way some OF them
from the southeast to southwest, and others from
the north to the southwest. few OF them were low
down and coursed from the north to the south at the
horizon. Most OF them, however, seemed 10 start
IRON the zenith and take northwesterly course, often
leaving trail OF different colors. One more bril-
liant tnan the rest, coursng from the zenith In o
westerly direction lighted the heavens and made
blazing racK TO the EYE as Dr1aa a. as ah Ordinary
minutes, which 1nally appeared like white heecy
cloud and soon dissolved. From 1000 to 1900 OF
these ars were counted here.
The following communication from student OF
Trinity college tells Of the number noted at that
Institution,
The usual November shower Of meteofs which occurred
humber Of the students OF Trinity College Several Deau
m had been while the was being used
Ing begin until alter ne display 2! large
dsngulshabie minnes. During the nrS
hour taken from the ground and go were
lion the roof Of Of vs Ss Of COLLEGE lie S S
horizon sky divided among six observers each
m onss he Of 80
s ns n The 81 no n
inihe third Sfrom hapas one TO nal..pas. two A.
a,Sc1 Many Of these ieft trains which vsD.O
for percep.be Length Of time ogtd h mum,
noseessy blue and red lights The meteors radiated
from which the November meteors to Though
S Sae T q 70 IT on mt Six
which seemed to IN different drection and these
hs mesos appeared 70 diminish in number but many were
very brilliant their light flashing around the whole sky IKE
lightning II.
The astronomers have fixed upon the 18th OF No
vember as the time when the earth passes most d.
recty and closely into tne me.sorif showers d Bat
October 10, 1909; october u, 1866, 0. -; and the
stars were described as falling all night "likc To-
custs'' In numbers which no one could count. In
1857, November 80, the shower was noticed anu
November 12-13, In 1902 The astronomers OF that
day computed their distance from the earth at ll9
In 1918, on November 1918, the showers were
seen in great brillancy; and again In 1922 on the
same nights. In 1881 and In 1882, November 1918,
the showers were noticed on both continents.
But in the year 1888, on the same 18th OF Novem-
ber appeared the magnificent and memorable dis
play. greater than any known in modern times. The
shower was visible all the United States, part
Of MEXICO and the West India Islands. The 'shoot-
inrlsars,, were countless. They fell like snownakes
aud those who witnessed 1t compared It TO y snow
storm In the numbers OF Its falling particles OF fire.
were large iirebas at intervals, leaving long Tails
OF various hues which remained distinct for several
ad a. bssnast eleven Last eyeninr One Of
them seen in N0rh Carolina appeared larger and
more brilliant than the moon. some OF the lulni.
nous bodies were OF irregular form, remained
stationary for some time and emitted streams
OF light, At that time, ~ was noticed last
night the motion OF these stars was generally from
tie east to the west, though In both cases there
were a few exceptions. The source from whence
the meteors came was shown to be independent OF
anAa fartur m nttrof
Professor 0msted, OF Yale College, estimating that
the distance could not have been less thap 2, 2as
miles from the earths
Annually, for six years following the great display
in 1888, astronomers discovered . return Of these
sa3we =. greater or less extent on the same
weJe suundant on the 18th and 18th Of November
some astronomers compute the real period Of re-
turn Of the meteors to be thrty-iour years; but IN
almost every year at this date they have been wit
messed to greater or less extent La this country or
Ia Europe. -
And considerable showers have been noticed also
1..h Of December, 27th to 18th OF November and
eve., about the middle OF July. But unquestionaby
the IA N OF November is their anniversary.
Profe sor olmsted explains that the meteors prob
sbly tenn nate from nebuous body which revolyes
ar,und the sun In an cliptical orbit, the apheon OF
which meets me orbit OF the earth at the times or the
ANIMAL exhif,is ions The nebuous character IL In
ferred fronf the fact that none Of these meteers
Seoety ever reach it in solid state, ali being dis
sjpated in the atmosphere and no material substance
found 10 Indicate their nature" The rapdity with
which these met sors move Is estimated Ut 1000 miles
o minute.
A scientific cor respondent furnishes the Boston
Transcript (Novem,Ner 14) with the folowing:-
The meteor shower this morning was much finer
than there was reason for anticipating Before mid
night hardly any shoe ting stars were to be seen
certainly not moro tina y on an ordinary November
night and even up to two O'Clock occasional gances
Ut the heavens showed increase TO the number.
little after three o'clock regular observations
were begun and continued until daylight The
writer observing alone, counted more than 600 In
little less than two hours and hhuf The following
table gives the number observed urtng every I've
minutes, the observer facing SOUTH.
Tune. Tune.
"A. NJ No. oy -. NJ No. OF
HIM HIM. Aete0rs. HIM HIM. Aete0rs
3.23 to 325........... IL ABS to 4o....-...... Is