Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-11-22
The November MetcOrS.

The November Metc0rS.
On the 12th, 18th and II of November
the earth plows her way through u
swarm of meteorOids known US the Nov
ember meteor zone. There is no reason
10 anticipate any special display at the
present passage, but everything relating
| to comets, meteors and the curious copncc.
| tion existing between them is now
| specially attractive on account Of the
interest aroused by the visit of the great
comet. The November meteor zone is
made up of Il swarm Of meteorids revoly
ing round the sun in an orbit of great
eccentricity, the perihelion resting on the
earths orbit, and the aphelion extending
beyond the orbit of Uranus. The earth
passes through the portion resting on her
| orbit ovory year about the 18Th OF Nuvcm
Der. The immense width ofthe zone NAV
be inferred from the fact that The earth,
moving eighteen miles in second is
three days in passing through it. The
meteorids are not easily scattered around
the orbit, the thickest portion extending
along about one fifteenth of the space.
The earth meets the thickest portion of
| the swarm once in thirty-three years
| and quarter, and the event is signalized
| by dazzling display of shooting stars
| that ranks among the most awe inspiring
and beautiful celestial phenomena on
record. At other times, the earth cncoun-
ters a portion of the zone either almost
destitute Of meteors or where they are
sparsely scattered There cannot be
II grand mete oric shove unless the earth
and the swarm of meteOls cross at the
same time.
The November meteOric showers thus
took place with u few stragging. falling
stars annually, and great display
occasionally, and no Que was able for
many centuries to find out the secret of
their action. But busy brains were at
work, and keen eyes were watching the
ways of the cosmical atoms. At length ii
was proved that the period OF revolution
was thirty three and quarter years, and
more wonderful still, it was discovered
that faint telescope comet, known as
Temples comet, was moving in the same
orbit as the metcors were. Astronomers
seized the key and worked out the problem.
1t is now clear as day that the Novcm-
Der meteors arc caused by the earLh's
encountering Il swarm Of particles
following Temples comet in its orbit, and
completing the circuit in thirty three and
quarter years. The comets tail is
actually splitting into meteors that thus
far fill but one fifteenth of the zone, but
will in time be scattered through its
whole extent, as has already taken place
in the August meteors, u much older
system connected with n comet in the
same way.
1t is therefore easy 10 see that once in
about thirty three years the earth and the
tail of Temples comet will meet on the
celestial road, and the result will be
y rain Of fire, shooting stars falling like
snow. Many observers now living will
remember the superb meteorc showers OF
| 1888 and 1867. BY conaulting astronom
ical annals, these showers have been
traced back for a thousand years. The
next one may be expected in 1889, and is
eagerly anticipated among coming celcs-
| tial events.
The next origin of tho November
mcteors is proved from the fact that the
portion of the swarm at present extends
over Il comparatively small part Of the
zone. Leverrier, famous French a,tgon-
omer, gave an ingenious theory to account
for the introduction OF the meteOric ring
| into the system, and calculated the Time
when the event occurred, The four giant
planets exert a powerful attraction upon
the comets that come near them. Jupiter
is especially distinguished in this line, and
is called the great comet disturocr for this
reason. The theory is that about the
year 1876 of the Christian era Temple
| ,,,oroI IIrnpns HbA .. iun 1s
attraction changed the comets orbit
into cllipse, revolving about the sun in
u track we have already described. EVel
since it has continued to reyolvcin It's new
orbit, its tail all the while breaking into
meteors which finally will fill the whole
zone. Therefore we must wait till 1896
for rain of shooting stars on Il CRANE
scale. Meantime we must be cOntcnteC
with the few straggers that in the passage
of the earth through the zone in the pres
ent month will impinge the zone agains
our atmosphere, and, being ignitcd by the
conclusion, trail their shining way through
the heavens.
The radiant point Of the November
meteors is in the constellation Leo. Th
most favorable time for observation il
about three o'clock in the morning, fo
the starry group Is then well up IN TIT
east. and the tiny visitors may be seen t.
the best advantage.
Comets and meteors are now among tn
most interesting objects of Astronomical
research, for they are closely associated
if not identical 1t is not improbable tha
their fall upon the sun in numbers o
which we can form no conception, instea,
of being cause of alarm, may serve II
fuel to keep up his fires, and thus prolon!
his power of giving life and heat to tn
earth.