The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-15
COURSE OF THE METEORS.
NEAREST APPROICH TO THE EARTH,S
ORBIT I.30o,OOO MILES.
That Point to he Reached at I O'Clock
Tomorrow Morning Result of the Royal
socicty's Computation Effect of Jupiter
and saturn-ObseryatIon, Last Night.
Srecidi Cable Despa'ch TO TUE suS

society's Computations Effect of Jupiter
and rn-Obserystions Last Night.
Siscidi Cab, Despa'ch 10 TUE suS.
LONDON. Nov. 1.-THE Royal Society has Just
completed the two years computations ncccs-
sary to determine how much the orbit of tho
Leonid meteors has been DETECTED In the rast
thIrty-three years by the influence OF jupiter
and Saturn. The change has been moro than
three times the usual amount for a similar
period because Jupiter and Saturn came close
enough to exert strong disturbing effect
The result 10 that the Earth's orbit at the time
OF the nearest approach OF the meteoric orbit
namely. l O'Clock on Thurs lay morning. New
York tims-will still be 800 600 mics distant
The exrerts who have done the work for tho
Royal Society add: This would he enough to
carry the stream OF meteors quito clear OF the
Earth II 1t were mere cylindrical stream like
thread travelling lengthwIse But the in
vestiRat ons have brought to light the i'm
portant fact that the stream. where It piercss
the plane Of the Earth's orbit. is not like
thread. but more like a strap or tape In other
words. It 10 much wider than II Is thick. Its
thickness 10 known from the duration OF the
showers to be about 100000 miles, but its
known width IL much more. probably 5000. 900
or 1000. 900 miles.
This wide and comparatively thin stream OF
msteors passes obliuusly through tho plane OF
the Earth's orbit. and the part OF the plane
through which II passes has obviously the
shape Of q long oval. We know where ono
point In the oval IL. namely. the point spoken
OF abova-whers Adams's orbit plerces tho
plane OF the Earth's orbit, a point which will be
100000 mics nearer the sun than the posi-
tion which tho Earth will reach on Thursday
morning at l s'clock. Unfortunately. we do
not know tho length Of the longer
axis OF the oval section. nor it's
position further than that i;s direction
originally-seventesn centuries ago-lay per-
rendicular to the Earth. orbit. and that II
has since slowly shifted 10y perturba,ions into
a position which slopes toward that part Of
the Earth's orbit which the Earth will reach
sooner than Thursday morning.
When the shower tnkes place-if there Is
one-we shall know how much tho oval
section has turned out OF its orig nal
position. Meanwhile. We can only say
that the shower IL expected before l
o'clock on Thursday morninR-probably
some hours earlier. 1t is more likely to come
during tho daytime or evening Of Wednesday.
IN which case II will not be seen in England"
In all parts Of the United States tho shower
should no seen to the best advantage beginning
early Wednesday morning.
LONDON. Nov. Il. 3 A. M.-Reports received
up to this hour In regard to the Lsonis show
that there was no display Of importance my
where. In London fog prevailed throughout
the night
At Southampton the sky was clear but moth.
ing unusual was observed. AZ Queens
town II WAS cloudy. Al Grecnock. how
ever. several were seen. Notwithstanding
the bright moonlight they began to 10
visible about 2 O'Clock They came
at wide intervals and were OF no great bril-
linncy. About twenty-four were counted In an
hour. At Berlin. up to . AN. the weather
was cloudy and no ms,eors were
seen. At Paris M to l 40 A. N. there had been
no display. although the sky was cloudless and
there was brilliant moon, Reports from
Antwerp at 2:30 A. NJ. say n splendid meteor
fell at 1920 A. NJ. but there was no general
display.