The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-11-12
November's Evening Skies,

Providence Journal.
November is not as fruitful in Incl
dents as many of the preceding
months of the now rapidly fleeting
year She presents, as prominent in
Importance, the opposition of Neptune
when the planet third in size among
the brotherhood draws nearest to the
earth on his unseen path, and gives
the telescopist chance to find out
something new concerning the great
sphere that, in terrestrial view, looks
like tiny bail, delicately tinted with
blue. but it is really equal in volume
to nearly hundred planets like the
earth piled upon each other. Novem-
ber also presents, on each clear even
ing, one of the lovelIest pictures that
ever glows on the celestial canvass
that of the peerless Venus, shining il
the west as the fair evening
star, deigning to show her
self as soon as the sun has disappear
ed, and growing more beWitcningly
beautiful as the shadows gather, until
her turn comes to descend below the
western hills. Saturn is another gem
in the Nov ember sky. Jupiter shows
his smiling face 10 the small hours of
the morning, and Mercury may be
seen in, fitful phase as the month
draws to aclose. November holds the
exclusive right to oneunfailing source
of interest, when, on the 18th, and the
day before and after, the earth plunges
headlong through the November me-
teor zone. Those who watch on the
nights mentioned, will find proof of
the passage in a few stray meteors,
radiatipg from the constellation Leo,
and set on fire by concussion with the
earth's atmosphere. These meteoric
showers are caused by the earth en-
countering swarm of particles fol-
| lowing TempePS comet In its orbit
| The swarm of meteoroids is not ye9
| equally scattered, and the earth meets
the densest portion once in thirty
three and one-quarter years. A grand
display marks the passage. The
heavens seem to be on fire, a1d the
grandeur of the scene is indescriba-
Ole. Chinese, Arabian and Other
records give accounts of these granC
meteoric showers. Humboldt wit
messed a wonderful shower In 1893. A
great shower was seen in 1888; an
other occurred in 1867, and one is
confidently expected in 1899. Leverrie
thus accounts for the presence of the
meteor zone system: "As far back a
the year 126 Of our era Uranus cap
tured a meteroric comet, and impris
oned it by his attractive power with
in the solar domain. 1t has periOt
, of thirty-three and one-quarter years
The orbit crosses the earth'S orbit at
point passed by our planet on the 1T
of November, and extends beyond tn
orbit of Uranus. The comet is disin
J tegrating, and the meteroids are ex
tending over the whole zone. Whe
this occurs, ages hence, tn
grand displays Will ceas,
I I and the falling stars eac
/ year will increase in numbers. A
/ nothing is more uncertain than th
behavior of comets and meteors, it
well to be on the watch, fer the cart
may encounter more populous pol
ton of the zone, and the shower {
e falling stars be more abundant tina
+ is expected. The best time for obser'
'o. ing the Leonids, as they are called,
e about 8 o'clock in the morning, whe
$ the constellation Leo is about ha
i 7 way between the eastern horizon al
9 the zenith.