Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-12-09
About MeteOrs.

The great November shower OF fall
ine stars, " or meteors, cannot be expected
this year II comes once in about thirty
three or thirty-four years, and appears
about the 18th, 18Th, or 18th of November
for three years in succession, the shower
of the first year being much more brill
iantthan the others. Humboldt and Bomp-
land, being on the coast Of South Amer.
lea, observed wonderfully brilliant dis
play Nov. 10, 100, and fainter showers
could be seen about that time in each Of
the two following years. The next OF the
great November meteoric showers came
Nov. IL, 1888, and WAS generally OBJ
served. The next great display was OBJ
served Nov Ia, 1867. OF course, the next
OF these November displays cannot be
expected until about the year 1900 or 1901.
The November showers always appear 10
come from q point IN the constellation of
Leo. The explanation Of these " falling
stars" given by most intelligent astrono.
mefs Is that the meteors come from COS
mcal " cloud" or body, that revolves
around the sun and comes in contact with
our atmosphere once In about thirty three
or thirty-four years, and occupies three
years in passing across the earth 3 orbit.
This "cosmical cloud is really comet,
which, according TO the astronomers to
whom we haye referred came into our
solar system In January, 1875 A. d., and
passed SO near the planet Uranus as 70 &c
brought by It's attraction into an elliptic
orbit round the sun. Since 1876 a. ID. this
. cosmical cloud" or comet has made
fifty.two revolutions round the sun, the
actual time OF each revolution being
thirty.threc years and few months. Its
ellipticsl orbit extends from a point in
the orbit Of Uranus, on one side Of the
sun, TO the earth's orbit on the opposite
side, touching that part OF the earth's
orbit where tho earth Is about The 18th Of
every November n Is only during the
last / ,149 years that this cosmicai or com
etary - cloud has been fixed portion OF
the solar system.
There Is another "cosmical cloud or
cometary body which has become 4 com.
plcte ring Of meteoric matter, and in this
form revolyes round the sun. This
cosmical or cometary ring touches
that part Of the earths orbit which
the earth reaches about the 10th
of every August. This explains the
falling stars" that can be seen every
year about that time. These August me-
tcors appear 10 come from point in the
constellation of Perseus. They are not
equal to the November showers in abnn.
dance or brilliancy. They can be seen
every year, because the cosmical cloud
ring from which they come is continuous.
This ring has been observed as comet,
but IL described as "the remains of the
comet out of which the meteoric ring OF
the 10th OF August has been formed in the
course Of time" The nucleus, or what
remains of IL, was visible in August, 1862
il becomes visible only once in every f2O
years, this appearing 10 be the time Of It's
revolution around the sun. The meteoric
shower of August lasts only about six
hours, this being the time occupied by the
earth In going through and away from
the meteoric ring. Much smaller meteoric
clouds and even solitary meteoric sub
stances, IL is said, revolve round the sun,
and at irregular times encounter the earth,
or 80 feel It's attraction that they, or por-
tons Of them, are brought into our atmos-
phere to shine and be evaporated as
incteors, or to fall to the earth az "me-
tcoric stones.'' Most of these meteors are
very small but, occasionally, very heavy
metcoric stones have fallen. There Is an
account Of one weighing 500 pounds that
fell in Hungary and four or five much
heavier have been found In New Mexico,
the weight Of the heaviest Of these being
estimated at /" five tons" Another of the
New Mexican meteoric stones weighs
about flour thousand pounds The
great fve.ton meteorite mentioned above
Il said to be composed Of 100 per cent. of
iron and S per cent. of nickel, Including a
little cobalt. - Worcester (Hdss.) Spy.