The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-12-21
A Swarm Of MeteOrs.

A remarkable observation was made
by Prof. Brooks, an industrious astron-
omer of Western New York, on Wednes-
day evening. While searching with his
telescope for comets, he saw what he
describes as shower of telescope
meteors s'near the sun" This, of
course, means that they were near the
apparent place of the sun in the sky,
and not literally nearto that body, for
the sun had already set at the time, and
If what Prof Brooks saw was really
meteor swarm, the meteors must have
been in the upper regions of our atmos-
phere. Supposed nights of meteors
seen through telescopes lave occasion
ally turned out to be flocks of birds, but
an observer as careful and experienced
as Prof. Brooks seems to be would
not be likely to make such mistake
as that. Assuming then, that he real
ly did see an extraordinary swarm of
meteors, and remembering that mete-
ors large enough to be visible without
telescopes, and some of great size and
briiliancy, have recently been unusually
numerous, the suggestion that the red
light seen in the sky for several even
ings past long after sunset may be
caused by reflection from clouds of
meteoric dust in the upper portion of
the atmosphere is not unnatural
There are several reasons for thinking
that the strange light is the result Of
some such cause as the presence of
meteoric dust rather than of differences
Of density III the atmosphere leading to
extraordinary reflection. In the first
place. the phenomenon has not only
been visible over an immense extent of
territory, but it has lasted several days,
and has been seen in the east before
sunrise as well as in the west after sun
set, so that any abnormal refraction in
the atmosphere would have to be of
most incredible persistence in order to
account for the observed appearances
Besides, during this time there have
been considerable atmospheric changes,
especially in respect to temperature.
These remarkable sunset displays have
also been accompanied by a notably
hazy appearance of the sky.
1t is well known that the earth is
daily and nightly pelted with millions
OF meteors, the vast majority of which
are almost instantly consumed by the
intense heat developed as they dash
into our atmosphere. The products of
the combustion of these meteors filter
slowly down through the air, and have
been found in the shape Of metallic dust
on the snow-fields in the Arctic regions,
on mountain peaks in Europe, and in
other similar localities, being recognized
by their peculiar chemical composition.
1t is also well known that the solar sys-
tenn abounds with swarms of meteors
revolving around the sun, and that the
earth crosses the paths of number of
these, occasionally encountering the
Swarms themselves. The vast ma ority
OF these meteors are very small, those
that are seen weighing on an average
probably only few grains; and since
the telescope reveals millions which
escape the naked eye, it is reasonable to
conclude that millions more are too
small to be seen even with telescopes
mere meteoric dust. There. are historic
instances of supposed falls of meteoric
dust, the most remarkable, perhaps, be-
ing that of 1873, when Europe, part of
Asia, and part of North America were
covered for months with dry fog, or
haze which excited the greatest alarm.
Prof. Brooks suggestion that the earth
has encountered cloud of meteoric
dust is not, therefore, without founda-
ton in probability. If the recent blaz-
ing sunsets have really resulted from
such cause, they are likely to con-
tinue, in q modified form, for some
time, gradually disappearing as the
dust sinks lower in the atmosphere.
Bat, although so many reasons can be
advanced which give probability to the
theory that meteoric dust is concerned
in tie production of these strange sun
set effects, yet it can not be considered
as proved, and some better explanation
may be offered. Whatever the true ex-
PLANTATION may turn out to be, however,
everybody seems to agree in the opin-
ion that the red glare in the west dur
ing the last three or four evenings has
been one of tie most singular spectacles
behold in the sky for many years.-M.
Y S2ls1