The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-04-26

this: Suppose two bodies moving in
space with such great velocity
and in independent orbits encounter;
what viii be the result? A sudden
check OF their motion converts that
motion into heat. This rule applies In
all cases. In the case of the earth and
the meteors the action Is Identical
The mean rate of motion of the earth
in her orbit is about nineteen miles
per second Moving along at this ratio
she encounters q cloud OF meteors
whose motion IS further increased by
the attraction OF the greater body
The cloud of meteors encounters re-
sistence in the earth's atmosphere
and the friction produced converts the
motion into heat 50 great that the
neteoric bodies are rapidly dissipated-
OF course, some heat is generated IN
the carth's atmosphere, as its share of
the encounter, but the relative amount
TO the bulk, or quantity, is trifing. II
Is stated that the amount of heat ordi-
narily developed by the above de-
scribed encounter is enough TO vapor-
lie any known substance almost in
stantly. The fact that the greater
number OF mcteors are consumed and
disappear before they reach the Garth
is sufficient evidence that their mass
Is su.an Such OF these rnete-
oric visitors as have been
discovered on tho surface of the earth
and afterward aralyzod show, in gem
erGl, only terrestrial elements. Dis
tinctiou IS made between &" accidental
mctcors" and lnetcoric showc-rs.''
As relates TO the first named, their
visibility is common at all times, ant
might he called accidental " because
they usually appear in widely differenJ
quarters OF the sky and possess widely
different paths "Mcteoric showers
make thoir appearance in certain pCr-
tons Of the sky-that Is they appe-s
10 radiatc always from some particulcy.
constellation. These showers alwavs
take place on certain nights OF August
and November of every year. 1t Is be-
Heved. from the fact that they occur
annually, and that the metcors causing
them reyolye in orbits at poiasE
reached by her in August and Novem-
Der. Further, that these rings o.
mcteOrs are Of varying thickness at
different points, giving US showers OF
varying splendor. The greatest dis
play by the November neteors takes
place every thirty-thrce years. The
orbits OF the August and November
meteors have been calculated by Lew
erier and others, who discovered tho
wonderful relationship between me-
teors and comets. al
Tho pOlariscope shows rs that
comets appear TO shine by reflected
sunlight Schlaparelli. OF Milan. es-
tablished the identity OF the August
meteor shower and comet III. of 1867
This astronomer theory OF tho won
deriul relationship existing between
conets, moteors and ncbulp Is worthy
of careful consideration. It Is about
as follows: Clouds Of meteoric parti-
cles exist and move about through
space Their motions may at soma
time bring them within the at
traction OF the sun, and the influence
of our powerful luminary transforms
them into comets, and as the paths OF
these clouds may assume any direction.
they may or may not become visible
TO US because of the direction in which
they approach the sun as related TO
our line OF vision. II the path as
sumed by the comet after leaving the
sun is elliptical the visitor will become
a member Of our system. Further
possibilities are numerous The
cOmetary wBnderer consists of col
lection of individual moving particles
or meteors. The following portion OF
the comet, or tail, may, in the course
OF time, lag far behind, and what to
Us was once part Of a comet may event,
ually become a ring of mcteric parti-
clcs. II any portion of the orbit thus
formed should lie near enough TO the
orbit of the earth we can expect, on
reaching that particular point, in our
journey round the sun, TO witness tho
appearance OF fall or shower of me-
teors, and the magnitude Of tho dis
play would depend on the thickness of
the meteoric ring at that place Lever
icr states that "a cosmical cloud entered
our system in January in the year l26,
and by passing too near the planet
Uranus in its path became traniformed
into an elliptical orbit around the SUM-
This orbit, as calculated, agreed with
the calculated orbit of Temples comet
OF 1865. and this latter orbit agrees
with the calculated orbit of the No
vember motcors.-Wa Washington Star.
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