The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-28
MISSING METEORS.
The Heavens Mainly 0bScured During
the Night.
BRIEF GLIMPSES OF CLEAR SKY.
No Signs of a FulfiIment of Professor
Proctors Prediction.
VIEWS OF OTHER ASTRONOMERS.

VIEWS OF OTHER ASTRONOMERS.
my TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD1
ALBANY. N. Y. Nov. 27-Midnight
Up to midnight tho sky has been moro than nine
tenths clouded. During several brief intervals or
clear sky the observers at the Dudley Observatory
have kept up close watch for meteors, but none
have been seen by them. There is no immediate
prospect of clear sky.
The following communication was written by
Professor Boss as will be seen. in anticipation Of
failure of Professor Proctors prediction
REASONS FOR THE FAILURE.
To THE EDITOR THE HERALD:-
The great interest among astronomers which at
taches to the shower of meteors predicted for to-
night arises from the supposed connection Of the
meteorides which compose it with Biela's comet
whose orbit is known to be in exceedingly close
proximity the position of the earth at the present
time. star shower at any time is striking spec
tace but former ages the magnificent displays Of
meteors which took place from time time excited
degree of superstttious terror of which we can
form no adequate conception; terror not
wholly removed when. now. the laws Of
these strange bodies are partly understood.
It is believed that there exists authentic record
Of destruction Of life property resulting from the
fall Of meteors during star shower. though his
tory mentions some instances where such damage
has resulted from the fall of fire balls bolides,
and meteoric masses deeply imbedded in the earth
are undoubtedly found from time to time. The
meteors. however, which compose Q star shower
are so far as behavior is concerned entirely differ
ont from those mineral masses which sometimes
succeed In penetrating atmosphere with
orsk op<Spa - ,hoko NJ
what their original constitution. their first impact
In the upper regions Of the atmosphere would
generate amount Of hoat which would be sufi-
Client to vaporize the hardest rocks. Consequently
VIC see them as brilliant streaks. projected against
tho nocturnal sky. Some of these meteors
known to enter the earth's atmosphere at velocity
OF more than forty miles q second It is perfectly
we'll known from the mechanical theory of heat that
. body moving at this rate Of speed in our atmos-
phere would produce degree Of heat and light ut
terly unapproachable by artificial means, and which
would render mineral masses. originally smaller than
, mans hst. visible for and hundreds Of
miles, dissipating them instantly into impalpable
vapor.
FORMER METEoRIc SHOWERS.
It is only when the original mass of o meteor
amounts to several tons that small residuum of the
whole finally reaches the EARTH It is supposed, ON
the testimony of observations that meteors first be-
come visible at altitude of about ono hundred
miles above the surface Of the earth, and, conse-
quenty, that atmosphere also rises to that
height. But it may be asked, "What becomes Of
this intense heat and what is its effect on our
slimate?' 1t may be answered that while any one
person any clear night will average of Ave
six of these objects in an hours watch
and consequently that tho earth encoun-
ters millions of them annually. their total
mass is 80 exceedingly small. relatively to
the mass Of the earth, that no appreciable effect
the general temperature Of the earth produced by
to contrary opinion. and the theory is even held
by certain Astronomers OF high rank that 1t Is the
impact Of myriads OF meteors against the atmos-
phere OF the sun that we owe his allpersuasve and
lfegiving heat. Professor Newton. OF Yale College,
was the first to point out in q definite manner the
probable connection of meteoroids with comets. On
the night Of November IL. 1879. Humboldt
witnessed from the Andes a meteoric display
shower Of the most startling description was
witnessed by inhabitants Of this country in 1888.
The meteors rushed athwart the sky incessantly.
They were described being thicker than snow
fakes. The terrified negroes of the South. where
the phenomenon was most striking. were convused
ers tears and groans, many days elapsed before
the excitement subsidized.
THE PARENT COMETS
Meanwhile astronomers had busted themselves
with observations of the meteor tracks, and the re-
suit was that the observations Of that night led to
of the most important deductions Of modern as
tronomy since 1t was by them that Professor Newton
was able to show that the appearance Of these
thirty-three years. and that this periodicity
IL probably caused from the fact that
these bodies move in orbits of greater less dura-
ton. was reserved for Professor Adams the rival
of Leverrer from profound mathematical consid-
eratons. to show that tho period Of the orbit in
question must be nearly the same as that Of the
currence OF the star showers-namely. about thirty
three years. In 1865 the astronomer Tempel. at Mar
settles. discovered faint telescope comet, which.
after inconcevably laborious researches.
proved to move in the same orbit as the
the star shower In 1867 was successfully pre-
dicted. and the observations then made lett no
Of identity between the orbits Of the SO called Le
OXIDES. which made up the star showers of 1799 1888
and 1867. with Temples comet of 1865 Other coin
etdences like this have since been pointed out. The
most recent and OF tho interesting Of the
incidencesis that Of the Andromedes or the star
shower of November ~. 1872. with Belas comet dis
covered by officer of the Austrian army in 1896.
This comet proved to be one of the few which move
around the sun in orbits OF short period.
DIVORCE IN SPACE.
The period Of Biela's comet is six years and nine
months. Great alarm was caused by tho predicted
that the comet must at that time approach very
near the orbit OF the earth. but when tho subject
time of nearest approach the earth would be several
weeks distant from the point where the comet had
vain at its return in 1899. because it was then
far from the earth to be invisible by
was again Observed, and at This return q strange
phenomenon occurred The comet ut frst was
q slightly elongated. foggy mass; but what was
they looked in the telescope the night OF January
IL. 1846 to find. not comet but distinctly two.
The comet had split In twain, by what agency
has been able remotely to suggest. It is
sufficient to say that the separation then be-
gun went on Increasing until In 1852 the two
parts Of the comet nearly two million miles
ssunder. since which time nothing has been seen Of
the objects In thoir character comets, except one
glimpse In 1872 and doubtful at that. When the
comet was not at its predicted return In 1859
and 1868, this object began to excite high degree of
interest In the astronomical world, an interest
which finally led to tho prediction that tho earth
would pass through swarm Of metcors. which
really belong to Diela's comet. the night of No
vember ~. 1872. Tho year 1872 would also be most
favorable for the rediscovery Of the comet did 1t sti
exist intact.
THE woNDxn or 1872.
According to tho prediction many thousand mo-
tcors were seen ~ various observers the night Of
November ~ These mcteors all appeared to radi ate
from point in the constellation OF Audromcda
near tho star Gamma OF that group In the right
cension one hour and forty minutes. and doclinaton