The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-01-12
From the Cincinnati. Commercial
The Meteor.


many points Some of the statements
were definite, some indefinite, one Wild,
one pious-the last having been made
soon after the adjournment Of . prayer
meeting.
It has occurred to me that the general
reader he reads the Commercially might
like to see how the track Of meteor is
found, at least to very close approx
nation. II two observers far apart
could see such an object at the same mo-
ment. especially when it frat blazes in
the sky, and also when it finally leaves
the atmosphere or is consumed, and if
at the moments of appearance and dis
appearance the direction from each OBJ |
server, and the altitude also, should be
measured, very simple computation
BY trigonemetry would give the height
of the meteor when FIRST visible, when
last seen. the length of the path, its d.
rection with reference to the earth's sur
face, and also its direction in space. If,
moreover, the time of visibility were
noted, then its velocity could be found,
and an approximation be made toward
its orbit in the heavens.
But two such observers have never
yet existed, and never will. The chief
reasons for this latter assertion are, first
that no one knows when meteor will
come, nor where it will be seen; second
ly, that the instruments for measuring
angles are not at hand, and could not be
used if they were; and thirdly, that the
beginning and end of the course of such
a meteor as this one can not be seen by
the same observer-each one seeing a
different section of the path, somew hat
as every one sees not the same, but O
different rainbow.
Accurate observations being then i'm
possible, we take the definite, wild and
pious observations Aforesaid, and work
, them up in way which everybody can
understand. But SO much by way OF
Introduction.
/ Without enumerating all the places
mentioned in the Commercial of ths
Oath, let it suffice to use few of those
best situated. The distances given are
= sufficiently accurate for our purpose
According to the reports the meteor
, "passed over" Hermann, (sixty-fv'
r miles west of St. Louis), st. Louis
Keokuk, Iowa, and Galesburg, Illinois
j These two latter places are. in rount
:, numbers, one hundred and fifty mile
e north of the two former. Itis impoasi
t. BILE for the meteor to have "paased over
d all of these places, and the reports forr
: those cities must be taken with consid
erable allowance. Meteors are eccentri
" and Ii sely, but lack the power of bein
8. in two different places at the same me
ment.
Is The report from Jacksonville-se,
y enty-fve miles north of St. Louis-say
~ it "passed short distance north OF II
h city" The La Sale report says "
II passed over the city" but adds that &c
appeared to be about seventy degre
If from the southern horizon" Of cour
f. both parts of this report can not be e:
act; 80, taking the latter as the more a
ID curate. we are led to the conclusion th
IL the meteor was vertical over plac
re. northward of Jacksonville, and sout
to ward of La Sale. This latter place
n speaking roughly, one hundred a
lis twenty miles northeast of the 9th
IN. The account from Erie, Pennsylvan
D a says at passed over this city," and COY
he Lawrence, Kansas"
am Aline drawn from Lawrence to E
mt will pass north OF Jacksonville a
ed south of La Salle. 1t is probable,
ZOE most certain, then, that the meteor '
an vertical, or nearly so, both at Lawrel
md and at Erie. The line before dra
ar passes south of Toledo, Ohio, but no
kin Of Sandusky. The general path, tn
being established, it remains to fix
an altitude. One report says that it
,tic supposed to be twenty" miles hi
EN- another. "forty." These are only Ct
hey ses, and it would have been just as '
low to guess "ten" or "a hundred" for
hey observations at one point can posi-
the fix the height. The Bloomington,
fely lana, report says it was eighteen
ian twenty degrees" above the north
he'd horizon. The most accurate obsel
tion of all was made by Professor
kins, at Delaware, Ohio. From 81
position he noticed that the meteor
parently travelled alongside of hori
to tai bar. Shortly afterwards I asst
ath- Professor Perkins in measuring his
said tance from the bar, and its elevat
gen. The angle of elvation was twents
son, degrees. It is not likely that the
rger altitude differed half degree from
built quantity. From Delaware to the
}, no teor's path over Lake Erie, on the
kind ridian, is almost exactly one hun
ntire miles. Making due allowance for
ence curvature of the earth in that dist,
tient the height of the meteor was fort
lriv- miles when over the lake. The
ather general agreement among observers
item the path was horizontal.
him Bloomington is about one hun
! in and twenty miles south of the line
years Lawrence to Erie; and an object f
.bout two miles high over that line "
Hen make an angle of eighteen degrees a
or the horizon at Bloomington.
hope To ascertain the velocity of the
near is a little moro difficult by rease
sstab- want of uniformity in the estimate
went the time the meteor was visible.
With said twenty seconds; another thirty
8 soon lhree-fourths of minute; one a m
pecta- and one three minutes. This last
il was out of all proportion that 1t may
enry aside rs absurd. / think the thirt
} then onds of the 81. Louis observer bes
child titled to credit, and as it is XII
to the compromise between extremes it ia
Like used. The visible path of u