The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-20
FIERY MESSENGERS
ILLUMED THE SKY
Strange Phenomena Witnessed
Early Last Night.
METE0RIC DISTURBANCES
METE0RlC DIS
Spectacle Attracted the Attention of
Thousands Who Gazed Toward
the Heavens in Wonderment.
No Shooting Stars Seen

A strange phenomena, supposed to be a
part of the tri-centenary meteoric disturb
anees scheduled by the astronomers. was
observed here last night between the hours
of and 8 o'clock. The fiery messengers
made their appearance directly overhead
and attracted much attention and no little
fear among the more supersttious.
AS many as ten meteors were seen, all of
which were in the nubular form, resem-
bling comets. They first appeared as patch
es of light, and at times would glow to
a fiery red and then fade away, repeating
the spectacle a number of times before
they finally disappeared. During the livid
glow period the central body could be easi-
ly distinguished, the light radiating
throughout the entire mass which appear
ed to be about three feet long and six
inches wide.
1t was also observed while the glow was
on that these strange bodies appeared to
be moving, the agitation being easily dis
tingushable with the naked eye The en-
tire zenith was overcast, although outside
the area the sky was clear
Great crowds gathered at the street cor
ners, and many were appalled, at the
strange sight. number of negroes re-
sorted to prayer as a means of protection
from the fury of the threa tening stars,
which they feared would reach the earth,
in accordance with the recent predictions of
German astronomer
Several well posted gentlemen contended
that the celestial bodies were comets and
not meteors, but no attempt is made here
to give the names or significance of these
40 IF ha e1l-p1
of the universe One comet was looked for
a week ago last night, but it did not APP
pear. There was maintained by some
learned men who chart the heavens that
the comet looked for would strike the earth
and destroy vegetation and human life, but
the thing was apparently switched off to
some other world in the vast depths of
space.
Putarch tells us that upon the night of
great Caesars death a new comet took its
place in the heavens, a sign that the soul
of Caesar had taken it's place amongst the
gods Perhaps the reports of the Associat-
ed Press will show who were the great
ones of the earth to pass away yesterday,
and maybe incidentally give explanation of
the comets.
No shooting stars were observable; but it
came on cloudy before o'clock, and there
was ''mackerel sky until late hour
1.-The year the stars FELL the basis of the
years as measured by the old cornfield dar-
kies for a generation and more, might have
taken on new meaning, and henceforth
apply to 1899 until at least the year 1892
shall come but the stories are being kept
back apparently.
rlxa ble of all natpOrip
showers that have occurred in the United
States was that on November u, 1888, in
the constellation of Leo, therefore a show
er of Leonids. The number of them seen at
Boston at that time during period of five
or six hours was estimated at almost 100000.
well known astronomer-O lmstead-com
pared this remarkable shower to snow
flakes seen in the air during a snowfall.
Other remarkable showers of Leonids In
the month of November had been observed
in the years 1865 and 1893, and their success
sion of years suggested to the astronomer
oilers that there was probably periodi-
city of thirty-three years of these Novem-
Der showers. In the year 1887 he predicted
a shower for 1867, but it actually took place
in the preceding year-lS66.
In that year. at the observatory of Green
witch, between o'clock in the evening and
o'clock in the morning SASS shooting stars
were chrondcled. At oxford, England. the
shower of shooting stars when at its max
imum was compared to the rockets in
display of fireworks Also In other places
the showers were remarkable, though in
those places falling short of that of 1898.
The cause of all meteoric showers is this
The meteor swarm describes regular or
bit around the sun and the earth can en-
counter it only when she Is at the point
of intersection of her own orbit and that OF.
the meteor swarm. This, of course, will
and must be always, on the same day of
the year, except in the course of time
the path of the meteors shifts its position
on account of peturbations. Consequently,
the Leonid showers occur about Novem-
Der l3.