Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-26
METEORIC SHOWERS.
Their VisitatiOns Of Periodical 0c-
currence, but Frequent.
PECULIARITIES OF DISPLAYS.
Recent Observations of the Sun Bring Out
New Features.
THE MAGNETIC THEORY SUSTAINED


to it. Those who claim to have seen it say
it passed directly over the moon about 10
o'clock. A DISPATCH representative called
on Prof. F. W. Very, of the Allegheny OBJ
servatory yesterday, but he had not seen the
meteoric display. In answer to several
questions regarding the frequency of meteoric
showers, Prof. Very said:
"There are certain epochs in the year
when particular meteoric showers are due
Assiduous observation has given list of
nearly 100 such showers in the course of a
year, each of which may be expected
on a certain date from a certain
part of the heavens. Particular show
ers have characteristic features; that
is, some meteors are very swift; others
rather slow. Some vanish and leave no trace,
while others are accompanied by tails and
leave streaks after the nucleus has disap-
peared. Few of these showers last more
than one or two days, though there are some
instances where it is suspected that sue
cessive meteors belonging to the same group
appear during several weeks. Certain dates
have been noticed to be more especially fire.
ball epochS. That is, the rare event of an
exceptionally large and brilliant meteor or
tireball is more apt to occur on certain
dates
NOT FIRE BALL DATE.
"Last night was not a fire ball date, nor
was it in the vicinity of one. January %
is the date of the neteoric shower character
lied by the swiftness of its components.
which are usually attended by streaks. The
radiant point of this shower is in the con-
stellation called Bernice's Hair, a star
cluster-one of the morning consultations.
As this meteor is claimed to have been seen
in the evening it is more likely to have
been one of the unclassifed sporadic mete-
ors Information as to the position, direc-
tion of motion, apparent brilllancy, color,
time of appearance and length of time dur
ing which the appearance lasted is likely to
be valuable in the recovery of the principal
characteristics of an event which is necessar-
lily seen by but few"
"How do you account for these meteoric
showers coming at regular periOds?" was
asked.
"AlI we can say is that the celestial
spaces are thinly populated in every direc-
ton with these scattered fragments, which
are veritable miniature planets travelling in
definite orbits around the sun in many in
stances, and serving as messengers from one
star to another in others.
A COUNTLESS NUMBER.
The number of them is simply countless.
They make up in number what they lack in
size, so that if we could gather together all
the minute members that 60 to make up a
group, it might make q body of very re-
spectacle size, although the individual COM
ponents are so small that they seldom escape
complete disintegration and dissolution in
their passage through the atmosphere.
"What produces the great light which
al Eol1 f6,a, af 10ofo
''The light which is seen while the passage
of meteor through the air lasts may be due
partly to the combustion of the materials of
the air of life, but it is mainly an incan-
descenee of the condensed atmosphere which
accumulates in advance of an object which
is moving many times the rapidity of can
non ball, often, 1 may say, with many hun
dred times the rapidity of q cannon ball.
Under these conditions even the seemingly
fimsy resistance of the air becomes as great
as that of solid body producing intense
heat, and in the case of large meteoric
stone, frequently resulting in the fracture
and demolition of the object.
TINTs IN THE FLAME.
"Colored meteors are sometimes seen with
peculiar tint of the fame, being due to the
burning of some special ingredient OF the
meteor. We have yellow, green and Occa-
white like the majority of the stars. 1t |
cannot be said that any one part of the |
earth can be more affected BY these visitants
than another. There is, however, dfurnal |
periodicity, the larger numbers being seen |
in the early morning hours when that por-
tion of the heavens comes in view toward |
which the orbital motion of the earth is
carrying us. We then see not merely the |
comparatively few meteors whose speed is
sufficient to enable them to overtake the |
earth, but that larger number composed of
all those which are gathered up in the track |
of the advancing earth, whether moving |
with, against or athwart its course"
During the course of the conversation |
with Prof. Very the latter said that the re-
suits of the observation of the eclipse of |
January l, 1889, had just been received. |
They are considered of much importance |
to the astronomic world, as many new things |
have been revealed. In this connection |
Prof. Very said:
''The recent appearance of the collected |
results of the observation of the total eclipse !
of January 1, 1889, shows that this even: |
has added many interesting facts to the pre-
vious knowledge OF such occurrences. A |
large and very perfect photograph of the |
corona was obtained by Prof. VIM. II. Pick |
ering, of Cambridge, Mass, and one Of |
smaller size by Prof. Barnard, of the Lick |
Observatory. These show the sheaves of
CURLING FILAMENTs
about the suns poles in great detail, indi-
eating the composite nature of many of the |
individual flaments, and confirming the |
photographs taken at the previous sun spot |
minimum of 1878, thus rendering it almost |
certain that the corona at this period as
sumes a symmetrical form with regularly
disposed hlaments curving away on either
side OF the suns axis and broad equatorial
wings of less Disseminated structure.
"All this is very different from what is
seen during an eclipse when the activity OF
the sun is in its height. AT such times the
corona has rudely quadrilateral outline,
with four wings projecting from regions ap-
proximaIely 400 north and south of the
equator, and the whole is made up of
curved branching and interlacing streamers
extending to much greater distance from
the body of the sun, and with the equatorial
sheaves less symmetrically disposed. In
regard to the extent of the corona,
it is difficult to compare successive
eclipses observed from different parts
OF the earth with very varying atmos-
pheric condition. A small amount of
haze will blot out much of the fainter
detail. The presence or absence of some of
these fainter features may merely signify
the presence or absence of the condition of
their observation, but the variation of type
is thing beyond question. We seem to
have a connection indicated between the
broad equatorial wings and the sun spot
zones. When the solar activity begins
again the eruptions which make the prom
inences or red fames which cluster in great
est number about the sun spot zones, seems
to produce an increase in the floating dust,
which is carried up into the outlying re-
gions of the corona over these areas Of dis
turbance. AS the spot epoch dies away the
latitudes Of the r.....
REGIONS OF DISTURBANCE
diminish, and the coronal wings follow, ap-
nroachipp the equator more nearly at this