Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-08-22
AUGUST METEORIC SHOWERS.
Expected Display of Shooting Stars...
The Scare in New York in 1866.
New York Herald, Aug, 10.

ably have an opportunity this evening
of witnessing the appearance of numer-
Gus or, perhaps, maltltudes of shooting
stars emanating from certain definite
points in the heavens. ASPIRATIONS Of
such meteors have been noticed in re-
markable abundance about August 10
and November IL for many years to-
gether, and their origin was ascribed,
even up to a recent period, to eXhala-
tons consumed during some sudden
process in the upper regions of the at
mosphere, and We're regarded among
the superstitious MS malign s%upernatu-
raj agencies.
Modern scientific discoveries have led
to the recognition in the solar system of
lnconceivahly great numbers of small
bodies travelling in zones or clusters
around n central orb. 1t is now estab-
lished that there are zones or clusters of
such bodies moving around the sun in
orbits which interest the earth's path.
When III her annual course our globe
encounters any of the bodies forming
such clusters, passing through or near
them, they come within the power of its
attraction, and, falling with great vcloc-
ity toward it, the friction of our dense
atmosphere ignites the combustible mat
ter and renders them visible rs luminous
objects in rapid motion. The wandering
bodies are either thus converted into
vapor, or, when very large, explode and
descend only in very exceptional cases
to the earth in mcteoric stones or prol-
ties. Investigation shows that these
phenomena are probably closely allied
to comets, which may be regarded us
meteors only of vast size. The elements
of their orbits correspond almost with
the comets of 1862 and 1866, the August
meteors with the former and the Novem-
Der with the latter. Hence the name of
"cometoids" is occasionally and no
doubt properly applied to shooting stars,
which are thus accounted for. In order
to explain the occurrence of meteoric
showers on the samed days of the month
for several consecutive years it is neces-
sary to suppose that myriads of these
small bodies are revolving around the
sun in orbits that interSect IN own i'll
the regions of our ccliptic through which
the earth moves on these days, and in
fact it has been noticed that, with few
exceptions, they affect particular points
in the heavens when the displays Of
August and November occur.
GRANDEUR OF FORMER DISPLAYS.
The showers of meteors witnessed by
Humboldt, in 1899, in South America
was sublime beyond description. 1t cX-
tended over II large area of territory and
inspired the greatest terror among the
natives. The heavens were illuminated
for hours with thousands of shooting
stars, all proceeding from one point.
They were Of wonderful brilliancy and
of various colors. Another magnificent
display occurred in 1888, and was par
~ticularly noticeable in the Southern
States. Countless fiery bodies shot
through the air and afforded light suf-
ficient in many places to enable people
to read in the dead Of the night without
any artificial aid. 1t was stated that
groups of meteors, rs they exploded, as
sumed the shapes Of familiar objects,
such as swords, spears, flying eagles,
torches, daggers stepped in blood, head
less horses and other monstrous appear
ances. The slaves were driven almost
crazy with fright, and large numbers of
them believed the end Of the world had
come ut last. Professor Newton, an
American scientist, predicted II shower
Of shooting stars to take place in No.
vember, 1866. BY this time their paths
had been attentively noted and their re-
occurrence ascertained with precision;
but none had yet gone so far as Professor
Newton as to confidently a
display which he said would surpass
those of 1899 and 1888. The 18th Of
November, the day appointed, was wait
ed for with the greatest fear and anxiety
in New York, Massachusetts,, Pcnnsylya-
mia and in other parts Of the country.
As the time grew near at hand something
like Il panic seized the people. A comet
or n number Of comets, 1t Is believed by
many, was about to strike the earth and
reduce all thing to chaos. The author
| tiles announced that the fire bells would
be rung on the first appearance Of the
fiery messengers. Numbers, fearing to
remain in thoir dwellings, slept in the
streets, but whatever uncertainty rested
upon dates and durations Of the phe-
nomena, no danger then or ever will
exist from the earth e%ncountering one
Of shooting stars.
The 18th of November arrived, but
the expected and dreaded apparition
only put in an appearance on a small
scale. In this city about eighty me
teors were observed, but at the Naval
Observatory, Washington, a fine sight
was presented. Several hundred were
recorded there. The case was different,
however, in Great Britain. In London
thousands upon thousands Of meteors
of extraordinary brilliancy traversed
the air singly and in groups. Nothing
could exceed the splendor of the sight,
which lasted from a short time after