Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-08-13
a METEORIC SHOWER.
A Possible Explanation of the Red
Lights Seen in the Sky after Sunset
An Intere sting Record.
Irish World.

ltISu NOIlO
A remarkable observation was made
recently by Prof. Brooks. an indus
trious astronomer of New York
While searching with his telescope
for comets he saw what he describes
as a shower Of telescope meteors
"near the SUM-" This, of course, means
that they were near the apparent
place of the sun in the sky. and not
literally near to that body, for the sun
had already set at the time, and if
what Prof. Brooks saw was really a
meteor swarm, the meteors must have
been IN the upper regions of our at
mosphere. Supposed flights of me
teors seen through telescopes have
occasionally turned out to be focks
of birds, but an observer as careful
and experienced as Prof. Brooks,
would not be likely to make such 8
mistake as that. Assuming, then,
that he really did see an extraordinary
storm Or meteors, and remembering
that meteors large enough to be visible
without telescopes, and some of great
size and brilliancy, have been unusu-
ally numerous, the suggestion that
the red light seen in the sky after sun
set may be caused by reflection from
clouds of meteoric dust in the upper
portions of the atmosphere is not I'm /
natural. 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 in the atmos-
phere leading to extraordinary reflects
ION. In the first place, the phenoms
enon 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 sunset, SO that
any abnormal refraction IN the at
mOsphere would have to be of almost
incredible persistence in order to ac~
count for the observed appearances.
Besides, during this tine there nave
been considerable atmospheric changes
especially in respect to temperature.
These remarkable sunset displays
have also been accompanied by nota-
bly, hazy appearance of the sky. It is
well known the earth is daily and
nightly visited with millions of me-
teors, the vast majority of which are
almost instantly consumed by the in
tense heat developed as they dash into
our atmosphere. The products Of the
combustion of these meteors filter
slowly through the air, and have been
found IN the shape Of metallic dust on
the snow-felds in the Arctic region,
on mountain peaks in Europe, and in
other Localities, being recognized by
hoJ oh
It is well known that the polar system
abounds with swarms Of meteors re-
volving around the sun, and that the
earth crosses the path Of a number
Of these, occasionally en-
countering the swarms themselves.
The vast majority Of these meteors are
very small, those that are seen weigh
ing on an average probably only q few
grains; and since the telescope reveals
millions which escape the naked eye,
it Is reasonable to conclude that mill
ions more are too small to be seen
even with telescopes mere meteOr1c
dust. There are historic instances of
falls Of mete0rlc dust, the
most remarkable. perhaps, being that
of 1876, when Europe, part of Asia,
and part of North America were COW
cred for months with q dry fog, or
haze, which excited the greatest
alarm. Prof. Brooks suggestion that
tbs earth has encountered cloud of
meteoric dust is not. therefore, with
cut foundation ia probability, IF the
blazing sunsets of 1884 have really re-
suited from such 8 cause, they are
likely to continue, in modified fern
for some tine, gradually disappearing
as the dust sinks lower in the atmos~
phere. But, although SO many rea-
sons can be advanced which give
probability to the theory that meteor
ic dust is concerned IN the production
of these strange sunset effects. yet it
can not be considered as proved, and
some better explanation may be offer
ed. Whatever the true explanation
may turn out to be, however, every
body seems to agree 10 the opinion
that the red glare in the west has been
oae of the most singular spectacles
beheld 10 the sky for great many
years.
If, about two hundred years ago,
a witness had ,stated that he had seen
a witch at midnight riding through
the air on broom stick, he would
have been believed, but if he had
stated that he had heard a loud ex-
plosion, and found large hole in the
ground, and, upon thrusting his hand
in, had found large stone which
was warm, his veracity would have
been doubted. Meteors must have
fallen IN olden times, but it is only
in later days that these cases have
been reported Until 1894 it was be-
lieved that meteors were visitations
from God. A Danish astronomer
was the FIRST to write on the subject
Pallas found a meteor, which he ex
amined, and recognized its true char
acter, being composition Of metal
and nickel La 1888 large shower
fell in Normandy which was of NETS
eoric origin. A Hindoo claimed
that a meteor followed him for two
hours before it fell to the earth. The
most celebrated one fell in 1892 in Al
SAGE, and it has hung for three cen
t1rrieS IN q cathedral TT weicad 220