The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-04
FRAGMENTS OF BIELA's COMET.
Scientific Explanation Of the Recent Re-
markable Metoric Display.

New Haven Special
Prof. Fl. A Newton, of Yale, has propounded
some very interesting theories concerning the
metoric shower of Friday night last. He says
that the telegraphic reports indicate that the
display was visible to the inhabitants of more
than a quarter of the globe. The shower was
observed in Teheran, Persia. which is seven
hours east of this city, early in the afternoon,
and he says it would have been seen here but for
the superior light of the sun. The display in
Asia was unusually brilliant, as was also the
case In Naples and London.
The display, the Professor says. consists of
the fragments of Biela's comet. the breaking up
of which was first discovered by Edward c. Her
rick, then librarian of Yale College and Francis
Bradley, of this city, in 1916. Since their dis
covery OF its disintegration the comet has rap
idly broken up and is now in millions of frag-
ments.
Hundreds of thousands of years ago the comet
travelled among the fixed stars. but its path and
that of the sun eventually conceded so nearly
that by the heat of the sun little pieces of the
comets outer shell were cracked and broken off.
These fragments. together with light vapor
created by the suns action, were in turn re-
PEELED from the sun and the comet, and
gradually fell in line behind the comet
and formed its tail. In this state the comet
continued to circle about in its orbit every six
and two thirds years, until about 1910, when it
was observed to have become divided into two
parts This process has since continued until
the comet is now but mass of fragments, which
IneCnodlcally continue to move around In the
orbit of the comet, and once in and two thirds
years the earth moves through this meteorc
belt, and we are treated to an exceptional dis
play of shooting stars, which, in their rapid
movement through our atmosphere, take fire and
give out light fragments often falling to the
earth
The display usually lasts two or three hours
and varies in brilliancy. the shower of 1872 be-
ing so intense that between fifty thousand and
one hundred thousand stars could have been
seen by single party of observers.
The display Of Friday evening merely the
end of the main shower Robert Brown jr, at
the Yale observatory, counted forty -four stars in
twenty four minutes shortly after 6 o'clock.
Some were quite brilliant and left trails of light
behind them. At half past 8 the meteors were
less numerous. but party of three observers
estimated them at 100 per minute. while between
quarter past 10 and half-past 10 Professor New
ton counted thirteen stars.
All of the meteors observed appeared to radi-
ate from the constellation of Andromeda, and as
the observer can only one-sixth of
those actually visible, On the basis of Mr..
Browns observations, at 6 o'clock. probably
about $50 meteors could have been observed by
sufficiently numerous party Of observers
The last important display in 1872, and
the next Professor Newton says will be in 1892,
but he adds that without doubt, observers may
see occasional meteors during the coming week.
as the November display generally continues in
a greatly decreased degree until Dec g. and on
one occasion has been known to continue until
Dec "a