The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-22
WHAT SHOOTING STARS ARE.
An Astron omical Writer Explains What to
Most People Is Puzzle.

An Astronomical Writer Explains What to
Most People Is q Puzzle.
The shooting stars are small bodies,
weighing at most few pounds and
consisting mainly of iron and carbon.
They traverse space in swarms, and also
revolve around the sun in long, clip
tical courses like the comets. When
these little bodies enter the earth's or
bit they are detected toward the earth
and great numbers are seen in single
night Their brightness is due to the
heat engendered by the energy of their
motion. Their speed is enormous, viz:
Forty-two and one-half kilometers in
second, while the speed of the earth on
its orbit is only twenty-five kilometers
a second forward. Consequently when
a shower of them approaches the earth
in the direction opposite to its course
the initial speed is seventy-two kilo-
meters second. "a kilometer is about
two-thirds of a mile.) When they fol-
low on its course they gain sixteen and
one-half kilometers a second on it, their
mean rate of approach being thirty to
forty kilometers a second. The friction
IL
sand degrees Celsius, subject to which
they burst into flame. If under these
conditions their su distance is not vapor-
lied they pass through and beyond the
upper strata of our atmosphere and
pursue their proper course around the
sun; but, as rule, they are vaporized,
in which case the vapor mingles with
+ a a I'm Sr,hp RI fol lot
dust. In this manner we come in con-
tact annually with one hundred and
forty-six milliards of shooting stars,
which add considera bly, to the earth's
substance.
Every year shooting stars present the
most interesting spectacle on the night
of August 10, and frequently also on
the two following nights. If the night
is clear and the observation is not dis
turbed by the moonlight, one NAV
count hundreds and even thousands of
falling stars during these three nights,
all coming apparently from the same
quarter of the heavens, the constella-
ton of Perseus The fact that the
earth takes three days to pass through
the shower OF shooting stars affords
measure of the enormous space they
occupy, the more so that they cross our
orbit at right angles to the earths
course Their orbit is long one, and
corresponds with that of the great
comet Of 1862 which reaches distance
of Z, 1c4. 600. 600 kilometers from the sun,
approaching it at intervals of lei years.
This immense orbit appears to be full
of shooting stars. Another date equal
ly interesting for the observation OF
shooting stars is November IA. On this
date they are even more numerous than
on August 10 At intervals Of thirty
three years they fall on this date as
thick as snowfiakes Two hundred and
forty thousand are estimated to have
fallen on Novem Der IA. 1883: the phe-
nomenon repeated itself in 1866. and we
look forward to its recurrence in 1899
The Novem Der shooting stars appear 10
come cut OF the constel alton Leo The
course OF this group corresponds tn that
of the comet OF 1866. near the orbit OF
Uranus. at distance OF 2s4o kilome-
tiers from the sun, which il approaches
every thirty-three years In the year
i26 A. d. this comet. under the infu-
ence Of the attraction of Uranus, was
detected from its original course and
made member OF the solar system
The two dates above mentioned are
not, however, the only ones on which
shooting stars in considera ole mum bers
NAV be observed Among others No
veInber - may be mentioned, for on
this day IN 1874 and again in IssS a.
least 100, go shooting stars were OBJ
served IL Rome, where was on the
latter date, the phenomenon excited
great interest and even the pope was
evidently not unnoved- for some days i
latez. when / had the honor OF beiag re
ceived by has holiness. the first words |
were: did you see the golden shower
OF Danas?7 The shower OF Fixed stars
of 1872 was entirely unexpected by as
trouomers They had been much dis !
turbesi AZ the loss IL Bela's comet 4
which after it. discovery, steadily /.
made It's appearance AZ intervals 81 SIX +
and a-haG years until $50, N Accord
9nce with It's computed course- On this &
occasion while uarsul1-z Is course OK