The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-10
AUGUST METE0RIC SHOWERS.

EXPECTED DISPLAY OF SHOOTING STARS THIS
EvENING-THE SCARE IN NEW YORK IN
1866
Persons interested In the study Of the movements
Of celestial bodies will probably have opportunity
this evening of witnessing the appearance of hume
or, perhaps, muttudes OF shooting stars
emanatng from certain definite points in the heavens.
ASPIRATIONS of such have been noticed in re-
markabe abundance about August 10 and November
IS for many years together, and thoir origin was
ascrIbed, even up to recent period to exhalations
consumed during some sudden process In the upper
regions OF the atmosphere, and were regarded among
the supersttous magn supernatural agencies
Modern scientific discoveries have led to the recog-
milton the solar system OF nconco,vably great
bcrs OF small bodies travelling in clusters
around central orb It is now established that there
clusters OF such bodies moving around the
in orbits which intcrscct the earths path. When
in her annual globe encounters any OF the
bodies forming such clusters, passing through
them thoy within the power OF its attraction.
and falling with great velocity toward it, the friction
of our dense atmosphere ignIcs the combustioe mat
ter and renders them visible as luminous objects In
rapid motion. The wandering bodies either thus
converted into vapor when very large explode and
descend only in very exceptional to the earth
In meteorc stones aerotes Investigation shows
that these phenomena arc probably closely allied TO
comets, which may be regarded as meteors only Of
vast size the elements OF thor orbits correspond
almost with the Of 1862 and 1885, the August
meleors with the former and the November with tho
attcE. Hence tho maine 0f "cometois' Is occasionally
and doubt properly applied shooting stars which
are thus accounted for. In ordor TO explain the
occurrence OF meteoric showers on the same days Of
the month Tor several consecutive years is necessary
to suppose that myrsds Of these email bodies are
volving around the sun in orbits or intersect our
IN the regions OF the elliptic through which the earth
moves on these days, and In fact It has been noticed
that with lew exceptions, they affect particular points
in tho heavens whom the displays OF August and No
vembcr occur
GRANDEUR OF poRmER DISPLAYS.
The shower OF meteors witnessed by Hnmboldt in
1799 in South America sublime beyond description
IL extended over large OF territory aud inspired
the greatest terror among the natives. The heavens
were illuminated for hours with thousands Of shooting
stars all proceeding from one point They Of
wonderful brilliancy and OF various coors Another
magnificent display occurred Ia 1888 and partcu-
larly noticeable in the southern States. Countless
nery bodies shot through the air afforded light
sufficient IN many places 10 enable people 10 read In
the dead Of the night without any artificial aid II
stated that groaps OF meteors, they exploded
assumed tho shapes OF familiar Objects such swords
spears flying eagles torches, daggcrs stepped in blood
headless horses and other monstrous appearances
The slaves were driven almost crazy with fright and
large numbers them believed the end O: the world
had come nj last Professor Newton, an American SCI
enlist prediceda grand shower shooting take
place IN November 1866 BY this time their paths
had been attenvcy noted and their recurrence
tanned with precsion but none had yet gone far
Professor Newton, rs 10 confidently announce d,s
pAy Wnlcu nc stltcu SurpaSS tnoSc oil lt9Y
1888 The 18th OF November, the day appointed, was
waited for with the greatest fear and anxiety New
YORK, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and in other parts
OF the country As the time grew near at hand some
thing like panic seized the people. A comet
number OF comets, IT was believed bv many, was
about TO strike the earth and reduce ali wings
TO chaos The authorities announced that the
fire bells would be ruHg on the nrst appearance
Of the nery messengers Numbers, fearing to remain
IN their dwellings, slept in the streets, but whatever
uncertainty rested upon dates and duratons oil the
phenomena no danger then viii exist from the
earth enconntcring zones shooting stars Tho 18th
oil November arrived but the expected and dreaded
appariion only put IN an appearance on small SCALE
In this city about eighty mctcors observed but at
the Naval Observatory, Washington, line sight was
presented Several hundred recorded there.
The case was different, however, in Great britain.
In London thousands upon thousands OF meteors OF
extraordinary brilancy traversed tho air singy and Ia
groups. Nothing could exceed the spendor of the
sight which lasted from short time after midnight
until two O'Clock In the morn M almost without
moments intcrmission. They oil darted out from
one point Ia tho heavcns and since that time astrono
mers prominent among Thorn Proctor, accept the
theory that these small shattered bodies revoive tho
sun In an orbit similar TO that Of cornets-that Is
whether tho expected luminous visitors will put In
appearance TITS or evening" but should dsap
pointmcnt occur II has TO be remembered that tho
earth does not pass centrally every August through the
zones, nor are the latter all occasions rich and nu
mcrous Consequently u may happen that there may
be less intensity o showers tonight or an intor
mitance altogether Az all events tho heivcns Will DO
well worthy continued observation at this particular
ume.