The New York herald., 1876-11-13
SHOWERS OF SHOOTING STARS.

November 1914 The present metcoric epoch Is dis
tinct from that occurring in August The November
shooting stars make Tar grander display. They are
called Leonices because they seem to radiate in and
rush with Immense velocity from the constellation
Leo toward which point the earth is at this moment
sweeping. Less than fifteen years ago comparatively
Insignificant position assigned to meteors IN the
solar system II was recently, indeed, that these
bodies had come 10 be looked upon as belonging
TO the solar system at ALL From being regarded
n species Of exhalalons consumed during some sud-
den in tue upper Of the air they had
risen to the rank OF volcanic missiles from the moon
Next the occurrence OF meteoric showers at certain
definite times OF the year-hat Is as the earth rav
certain definite parts Of her orbt-had compelled
recognize the fact that meteor systems
must exist which, regarded as systems occupy rela-
lively fixed position Modern scientific discoveries
have also led TO the recognition In the solar sys
tenn OF inconceivably great number OF minute
bodies travelling zones or clusters around
a central orb. II is established that
there are zones clusters oi such bodies moving
around tho In orbits which irtersect the earths
path When IN her course around the the earth
encounters any OF the bodies forming such zones
clusters they are ignited by friction they pass
through upper layers OF the air become visible
US shooting meteors. according TO their dimen
sons or they may even fall her surface aoroites
The earth necessarily pass centrally through
meteor cluster every year, nor probably one OF the
meteor uniformly rich throughout Thus
readily understand periodical undulations In
tho intensity Of star showers or even periodical inter-
Tonight however, it is expected that there
will be an unusually grand display, and 1t Will be OBJ
served that 1t was an American astronomer IN 1865
who predicted the appearance Of the egons Of shoot.
ing stars, November l3, 1866.
rHE GRAspxsr DISPLAY on RECORD
The star showers OF November l3, 1885, which were
witnessed over the northern portion Of the American
continent, surpassed all others on record in their
spendor. The appearance OF the fiery messengers
entirely unexpected and caused the grentest ter
ror throughout the country, particularly among the
negroes oil the Southern States who firmly believed
tho end OF the world had come at last A writer IN a
lime anu awful phenomena:-"Being up this morning
at i've O'Clock witnessed the most alarming spec
tacc that ever met the eyes OF man. Tho light In
my room great that could see the hour by
watch, which hung over the mantel and supposipg
that there was q lire near nj hand probably IN my
own premises-I sprang TO the window, and beheld
stars descending in torrents rapidly and numerous
midst OF storm Occasionally large body OF appar
ent IRE would be hurled through the atmosphere,
which without NOISE exploded, when millions
To tho vision 1t presented tho appearance
OF what may be called raining Of fire, for can
pare TO nothing elsc The sky was clear and
aud the phenomena continued twenty minutes. Tho
meteors, OF various sizes, some larger, some smaller
aud some with long trains remained IN view several
seconds They proceeded in the direction OF the north
west and were observed not In one part OF tho sky
only, but all points were equally spanged."
NEW PANIC.
After this period more attention was given by
ronomers 10 the recurrence Of mee0ric showers The
wonderful display witnessed by Humboldt IN South
America on tho 18th November, I799 was recalled and
both served 10 point out perodicy ot tho earth its
path around the sun encounterng rich clusters OF
teors Professor Newton, American scientist,
able in 1855, even imperfect the knowledge OF tho
November meteor system was then, to calculate very
closely the maximum display in November 1866 HIS
predictions created the greatest ALARM and the 18th of
the month looked forward TO with fear and trem
bling. In New York Boston, Philadelphia and othor
cities the authorities made arrangements announce
the occurrence by ringing the fire bells as II grand
confagraton was expected In tins city and elsewhere
many got possessed with the idea that comet was
about 10 destroy our gobo, and seized by abecI
terror and alright The popular interest in the
and intense. A kind Of panic prevailed and numbers,
fearful OF remaining Indoors slept in The
not put IN an appearance. However,, between eleven
r. n and three A. N. OF tho 18th lew were observed
and an hour later several others shot from the sky
Between four and i've tho number greatly increased,
most OF them passing to the southwark At New
Haven twelve observers counted total Of 1886, gener
ally small from eleven TO and again. from four to
hali-past five, ass meteors Washington, at three
O'clock the same morning, about $50 counted bo
ing all of blush color.
But II Professor Newtons prediction was not fulfilled
In America II was more than realized in Europe. As
carly as the evening OF the 18th November, 1855,
tor the appearance OF the fiery shower but the night
proved uniavorable the whole sky being overcast,
u
dozen showed themselves . short gap in the
clouds The next night was all that could be desired
Tne heavens were entirely unobscured From about
eleven O'Clock in London occasional metcors might |
be seen gliding along the sky from east 10
west. but these were only the apant-cou,riers
OF the great legion that followed later hour The
number increased after twelve O'Clock with great
pidy. IL soon became impossible for two persons to
count al that were visible As the Leo
and cleared Itself OF tho divergence of
meteor paths from point within IL became obvious
Sometimes the rocket lines OF light would glide out
rto r.dnrra nf
the blows OF a Titanic hammer but with the distinc-
tive features-hrst, Of those lingering lines OF illu
rsrely apposrinr as II thew orslnaisd in the
region OF the sky from which their courses
evidently diverged Sometimes The meteors wcro
OF orange, and ut other times almost red In
their color Those that shot toward tho western
horizon seemed more brilliant and larger In their
courses than those which dropped into the eastern.
One singular feature It was remarked in these celcs
tal fireworks was the rapdity with which tho MAXI
mum OF frequency came ON and went oil again. At
two O'Clock the meteors seemed TO have become as
they were AT twelve though they continued
In smaller numbers to the verge Of daybreak. From
half-past twelve 10 hafpast one the heavens seemed
literally alive with stars flying In many parts of the
sky groups of two threc together immediate
succession on each other, seeming as though racing
the blue vault except that their courses
rapidly divereed.
Referring to this awful display IN 1866 Proctor re-
marks:-"lf we Imagine that from some distant orb
beng was watching the event. knowing tho nature OF
Newton's prediction and uncertain OF the result Then
this being would have seen the Leondes rushing tow
ard the OF encounter tue part aud tho
earth sweeping toward the same point on the other;
he would have seen Asia passing around from the dark
TO the iupinated hemisphere; then Europe following
and the Atlantic coming round 10 that portion OF the
dark hemisphere winch the Leonides prepared
TO fall But while he would still be doubtful whether
America would come round to the same side before
the encounter took place and the prediction OF the
American astronomer bo exactly fulfilled he would
all over Europe and tho eastern part OF Asia, and
in a large degree the Atlantic the meteors
already falling; the display would grow richer aud
richer under his eye the meteors kndled their
swim flight through the resisting air but alter while
II would diminish In splendor and, finally, as America
began to show the exposed hemisphere the cEcoun
ter would come to end, the earth passing onward
toward the relatively barron regions lying beyond the
meteoric orbitv
COURSE NOVEMBER MErsoRs
The meteors which will not improbaby appear to-
night supposed TO rovolvc around the in
bit OF considerable eccentrcty inclined the plano OF
tho ecptc in an angle OF l7 degrees, and extending
at its apheon somewhat bey yond the orbit OF Uranus
perlhcllon being very nearly that OF the earth The
November moteors were IN ring OF unequal width