Evening journal., 1896-11-12
BLAZE OF FIERY STARS.
A Brilliant Spectacle Will Be
Seen on Friday Night.
A BATTLE OF THE ELEMENTS.
A SWARM OF METEoR1c CORPUS

OA@A@1 W ILL CAANORA@ 4 ~ AACoANR
THE SUN-COUNTLEss MILLIONS
OF STARS TO DIVE IN SPACE.
On Friday night there is G treat in
store for the people of Wilmington, who
may expect to see the sky furrowed
with numerous shooting stars, appear
ing to emanate from the constellation
Leo, and not far from the star Leta,
according to the situation of the two
spheres.
If the night be clear, millions Of me-
teoric corpusces will circulate around
the sun, extending as far as Uranus and
taking then a downward course OF
about 33,000,000 miles to reach the
sphere from which to begin action.
The earth's planet passes the sun on
November IA in its regular yearly
travel around the sun. This immense
celestial highway is strongly inclined
10 follow in the earth's course, and the
combined action OF the two produces
heated friction, which in turn produces
the meteoric vision.
This illumination Of the heavens
takes place only every thirty-three
years. But II Is disseminated along its
orbit, over a vast extent of hundreds of
millions Of kilometers, so that the pas
sage OF these migratory birds of the
heavens last many years.
The main body OF this celestial army
will not be seen here until 1899. Never
theless, professors and students OF as
tronomy are preparing to study with
the greatest attention the heavens on
Friday night, so as to complete their
knowledge of one of the newest and
most curious chapters of contemporary
astronomy, mainly, the relation existing
between comets and shooting stars.
The first scientific observation Of the
phenomenon was observed during the
night of November II and u, 1893. A
veritable shower Of shooting stars be-
gan to appear before midnight, and in
creased until 4 o'clock in the morn
ing, and then diminished by degrees
until daylight. There was not a space
in the sky equal to three, diameters Of
the moon that was not alive with
shooting stars.
The meteors left in their track phos-
phorescent trains, which sometimes
were slnuous, like serpents. Many
among them appeared as brilliant as
Jupiter and Venus. Shortly before 9
o'clock in the morning the point OF
radiation or divergence was to the west
of the constellation Leo.
The point of emanation In the con-
stellation Leo, whence these meteors
seem to come, is the centre of action
and the starting point of emanation.
These swarms of meteOrs are likened
unto a gigantic assemblage of cosmic
dust, from the fact that they have no
light of their own. The shooting stars
are discerned only on their introduc-
tion into earth's atmosphere.
II atmosphere did not exist. shooting
stars would not be apparent because
the cosmic corpuscles are 50 small
mere specks of dust in fact, that in
crossing the heights of atmosphere the
resistance OF the air, even though very
rarihed. transforms into luminous
warmth. Sometimes the shooting star
is entirely consumed during its pas.
sage; sometimes il continues its in.
visible course after leaving its posi-
tion in the heavens.
The swarm which gives birth to th'
shooting stars on November IA circu
lates through space along a very elon
gated elliptical orbit in an opposite di
rection to the earth, and meets thil
planet during the morning OF the dat,
mentioned. The earth will be in mo
tion toward the constellation Leo. TIL,
latter is much wider in extent thar
this planet, which passes through It a
a bullet passes through a cloud o
gnats. The corpuscles meet and thei
trajectories in this atmosphere ar
parallel. Their apparent divergenc
from a point Of emanation is only
perspective one.
The speed of the earth on Friday
around the sun, according to astronO
mical lore. will be 10000 metres pc
second. That of the swarm Of meteori
corpuscles is $4,000 metres. The frictio
and speed Of their meeting, therefor,
is gained by adding the speed OF th
earth to that of the meteoric corpusclel
which is $4,000 metres.
All over the United States the publi
as well as the astronomers, will watc
the heavenly display, which will 1
something unusual. II may be poss
BILE that the exhibition will not taI
place on Friday night, but it cannC
fail to appear Saturday night.
If the constellation Leo is in juxt
position to that of Perseus constell
the stars may begin to emanate at
o'clock and continue until four.
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