The San Francisco call., 1895-11-16
THE HEAVENS IN NOVEMBER.
BRILLIANT SKIES FOR THE STATE OF CALIFoRNIl
AT THIS SEASON.

BRILLIANT SKIES FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
AT THIS SEASON.
While many lands are wrapt in the gloom of
approaching winter, this favored cline is
neither cold nor cloudy, and often the clear
skies of November tempt the star-gazer- to
linger until midnight in the tranquil, balmy
air.
AS the month opens and closes in nearly full
moonlight this year the intervening weeks will
be particularly favorable for observation, as
the fainter stars and the flying meteors of the
18th inst shall glimmer on a background OF
sable hue in the evening hours On such occa-
sions the characteristic ints of the bright stars
that seem SO much alike to those unaccus-
toned to star studies can scarcely fail to be
discerned.
Commencing at the northwest we see the
BLUSH white CLEAN of Vega in the constella
ton OF the Tyre. T his brilliant star is typiea
OF the class in whose atmosphere hydrogen is
conspicuous ingredient, for these far-of suns
that we call fixed stars have revealed many of
their cons tituents to the researches OF the
spectroscopist. Being classed according TO
their spectra, those of the first type. to which
Vega belongs. are named Sirian stars from
Sirius, the large white star now on the meridian
at o'clock in the morning. Spangling the
divided stream OF emilky way in the west is
the constellation OF the Eagle, the bird OF love
in Grecian mythology. In modern classifca-
ton Affair, the brightest of the group, is
standard first-magnitude star, some being
classed as Sirian orb. Not fully as white
Fomalhaut glistens in solitary luster in the.
dim outline of the Southern Fish about twenty
degrees above the south horizon.
In contrast, red-tinted Aldebaran shines from
the east where Taurus is just crossing the
boundary of the invisible hemisphere. Aide
baran is classed as solar star, for its spectrum
somewhat resembles that of the sun.
more typical solar star is Capella, whose
golden ray is the brightest point in the five
sided outline OF Anriga, in the northeast.
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son, and as night approaches the Orion gems
commence to gleam in the eastern sky. But
where are to be found the evening stars of last
May and June, the group of beautiful planets
that bespangled the northwestern heavens? 2.
They are now gliding the somber hour of dawn.
AS Jupiter rises before midnight, he is the
brightest orb on the meridian at daybreak.
Venus, the phosphorus of early star-gazers, who.
knew not the laws OF planetary motion, may
be seen toward the southeast, and Mercury
may be discerned near the horizon in the same
direction on or about the 10th of November.
Later in the month, when Mercury is receding,
Saturn becomes visible in the southeast, and
Mars too, wifi be there forming various trian-
giles, though these planetary maneuyers of the
trio will be too low for general observation.
AS Professor Barnard noticed considerable
increase in the November meteors OF 1892, it
is probable that the swift pale-tinted Leonids
may streak the moonless sky in unusual num-
bers between the 9th and 18th of the month.
AS the constellation Leo, from which they
seem to radiate, is not far from the nadir in
the evening hours, they may be looked Tor
equally in every direction. However, morn
ing vigil will bring the best results, as then we
are on the side of our globe that faces onward
through space almost breasting the meteor1c
current.
1t seems strange that notwithstanding the
vastness OF even interplanetary spaces, the
narrow curve 5000 miles across, but some
millions of miles in length, claimed by the
earth as its path on these few November days,
should belong by equal right TO the thrOng of
wandering stones that are fused to ashes in
their yearly struggle for the right of way.
Even when the main swarm comes TO claim its
path every thirty-three years, the startled
earth yields little and the fiery protest serves
only to reveal their route, their goal and their
numbers. For nigh one thousand years the
unequal contest is q historic fact, but nothing
is, certain as to the beginning or ending of such
aIf4nterplanetary feud.1 The earth encounters
many claimants TO her destined track, but none
so remarkable as the starry fusillade of No.
Vember 13.
In meteoric astronomy we have a practical
experience of cosmcal motions. An actual
collision with large swarm of meteors, espe-
'cially such as is expected in 1900, is a home
thrust that cannot fail to awaken thought as
to possibilities even in the boundless wastes of
space. The most singular discovery in con-
nection with shooting stars was made by Pro-
fessor II. A. Newton at the time of the last en-
counter with the main BODY OF the swarm in
1S66-67, when the sky was grandly illuminated
with their numbers. In calculating their orbit
he found that Tempels comet, which appeared
in the year previous, had trave led in the iden-
tical path of the meteors, thus leaving wide
scope for conjecture as to the undOuDted con-
nection between the comet and the swarm.
Several comets are now known to revolve
round the sun i'll the same orbit as swarm of
meteors, and though orbits in the solar system
may interseet without any physical tie be-
tween the celestial travellers it is next to i'm
possible that pathways should be identical
without the existence of some close relation
ship. While it is then recognized that there is
some link between comets and meteors in
few cases, the nature OF that link is as yet an
uncertain matter. Meteoric astronomy invites
investigation especially now, when the van
guard of the great swarm is already appearing.
TO have correct conception of this ring of
meteors it must be understood that they are
massed in myriads toward one end of the long
elliptical orbit, while there is sparse distribu
tion of them around the remainder of the
path, When the earth comes round in Novem-
Der to that part of her own orbit that passes
through the meteor ring collision with some
of the swarm is certain TO occur.
None of the meteoric stones that have been
found can be directly traced to the star show
ers of November, and from analogy only, it is
concluded that they are composed of stone and
iron, like the aeroite that survives atmos-
pheric friction
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