Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-08-13
A METEORIC SHOWER.
A Possible Explanation of the Red
Lights Seen I'm the sky after sunset
An Intere sting Record.
Irish World.

A remarkable observation was made
recently by Prof. Brooks. an indus
trious astronomer OF New York.
While searching with his telescope
for coRets he saw what he describes
as 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
fhad already set at the time, and if
what Prof. Brooks saw was really q
meteor 3 arm, 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 aocks
of birds, but an observer as careful
and experienced as Prof. Brooks,
would not be likely to make such a
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 un
natural. There are several reasons
for thinking that the strange light is
the resslt of some such cause as the
presence of meteoric dust rather than
of differences of density in the atnos-
phere leading 10 extraordinary redect~
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 time there have
been considerable atmospheric changes
especially in respect I'd temperature.
These remarkable sunset = displays
have also been accompanied by rota-
bly, hazy appearance of the sky. 1t 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 fields in the Arctic region,
on mountain peaks in Europe, and in
other localities, being recognized by
their peculiar chemical composition.
1t is we'll known that the polar system
abounds with swarms of meteors re-
volviug around the sun, and that the
earth crosses the path OF 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 few
grains; and since the telescope reveals
millions which escape the naked eye,
ii is reasonable TO conclude that naill-
ions more are too small to be seen
even with telescopes - mere meteOrlc
dust. There are historic instances of
supposed falls Of meteoric dust, the
most remarkable, perhaps, being that
Of 1876, when Europe, part of Asia,
and part of North America were GOV
cred for months with dry fog, or
haze, which excited the greatest
alarm. Prof Brooks suggestion that
tbs earth has encountered a cloud of
meteoric dust is not, therefore, with
out foundation in probability, If the
blazing sunsets of 1884 have really re-
suited from such q cause, they are
likely to continue, in a modified fern
for some tine, gradually disappearing
as the dust sinks lower in the atmos-
pheIe. 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 il
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 in the opinion
that the red glare in the west has been
one of the most singular spectacles
beheld in the sky for a great many
years.
IT, about two hundred years ago,
a witness mad stated that he hau seen
witch at midnight riding through
the air on broom stick, he would
have been believed but if he had
stated that he had heard 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 visitahons
from God. A Danish astronomer
was the first to write ON the subject.
Pallas found meteor. which he eX
amined, and recognized its true char.
acter, being a composition Ct metal
and nickel In 1883 a large shower
fell in Normandy which was of NETS
ooric origin. A Hindoo claimed
that a meteor followed him FOR two