Evening journal., 1899-10-31
SHOWERS OF
SHOOTING STARS
There Will Be a Splendid Mete-
oric Display About the Middle
of November.
CLEAR SKIES IoNeED FOR

MAY HAVE a GOOD VIEW OF THE
MARVELLOUS CELESTIAL FIRE
WORKS.
A eplcndid meteoric display is expect
ped about the middle of November ana
a being awaited with deep interest by
Astronomers Speaking of 1t a we'll
bknown astronomer says.
! probably none OF the phenomena OF
mature attract more public interest
tsnan do those OF the meteorc showers
/ with the advent of these the whole
ilenvens become alive with shooting
istars of every brightness, and the
skies become yeritable network OF
ihrc. Though every year brings with
III a repetition of these celestial dis
plays still this year will ofler sight
Hong TO be remembered by aim who has ,
line hardhood to sit up TN after mid I
lnight t0 watch. IL is an Astronomical
lfact well established, that the period OF
lthe maximum displays Of the so-calou
y .conids is 80 1-3 years and this year
Tails within this range the last time /
tine earth passed through this shower |
,hnving been November 10, 1866.
i These showers Will take place this
4 vaar on November 10, IA and 10. Owing
20 ne fact that the constellation Leo,
Iron which these showers radiate, does
mot rise till after midnight, 1t Will bel
lnear the early hours OF the morning be-
fore observations OF any importance
loan be made Observations should be-
lcarrfed on till neal sunrise. The fact
,hst the moon viii he gibbous Will in
/, iterfere somewhat in observing theI
: lfainter shooting stars, but win not mar
The general effect The fundamental
(, land Important object in observing
y -hese meteors is to record their ap-
: ilra-ent paths in the sky and the dura-
p lion of flight, as from this can be ascer-
d, tanned the velocity and form OF orbit.
=, lThis can be done within fairly Sood
lraage of eNactness.
1t Is we'll known that the sensitive
> plate viii reveal many secrets which
4 lwill slip the unaided or even aided eye
lThls has but recently been strikingly
= lexemplifed IN the discovery OF the as
j, lferoid Eros and tho ninth satellite OF
u saturn. In consequence these show
. lers will be Of the greatest Importance
to those interested in meteoric photog-
raphy. II is by no mean to be fancied
that the photography Of these celestial
wanderers is to be restricted to the pro-
(, fessional astronomer, as anyone con-
= versant with the art of photography
y car realize interesting and astonish-
y ing results. The most practical and
" Economical method that suggests itself
+ Is as follows:
= "Take an ordinary camera with a
: llens OF from an inch to three inches in
diameter and mount IL on some simple
contrivance so as to be easily shifted
3, into any position. Two boards hinged
% together will fully answer the purpose.
Arrange this so that the camera points
/, 10 the constellation from which the
: shower radiates and focus the camera
3 lon any star OF the ilrst or second mag
nitude. On first consideration one
3 would be tempted to use the
visual focus as being the
d best. but experience will teach
that this is not the best, though not
q far ont. If a rack and pinion be at
n tnched' to the focusing tube and the
pinion graduated approximately into
degrees and minutes. more accurate
focus can be had Set a dial to point
~. at the zero when the visual focus is
y had. With this focus allow a star of
~ first or second magnitude to trail
across the plate for about five minutes
i Then turn the pinion to the right and
II left OF the zero and allow the same star
a TO trail for about tho same time. Note
III each OF the changes in the setting OF
l- the pinion, as. likewise. the relative 20.
eitions OF the trails if but single
- plate be used Repeat this operation
ne several times, with different readings
O. OF the pinion, being careful to note
3 each time the change on the graduated
al scale.
he In order 10 make sure of these sew
+. Il 81 .Ha~I.N 4.
rs. shifted slightly. After the plate o
l- plates have been developed each OF thl
". trails should be compared with thu
trail obtained with the visual focus
and so the best focus can be ascer
=. tanned As this is a variable factor II
TO each camera separate test will hav
i'm to be applied 20 each instrument. Wit
of the camera focused and in position th
ITO plate is inserted and the time CAREFUL
as noted. Each plate should have a spe
tai cial mark. 80 that they gay be easil
distinguished Any plate will answe
the purpose. Exposures varying fror
forty TO sixty minutes may be safel
.ng given. AS the plate needs little or n
~ attention after it is once in worlin
ib- order the observer can make visual oil
aeS servations either with the naked ey'
- an opera glass, preferably that {
D4ucln Aoiuh-LtAoo-- bltot ldilt
ne giving a much larger field--Or with
~ small telescope, and thus note plate
It's on which meteor trails are likely I
u be traced.
We During the past few years a gres
=. impetus has been given to the study
- meteors by the several observatori,
DC Of this country. Harvard College OF
'ut servatory deserves special mentiol
G. Professor Edward c. Pickering senC
he out yearly circulars with blank form
* on which to record the time, colo
M brilliancy, etc. OF meteors observe
- Thus is collected a series OF ohsery:
~ tons from all over this country an
VI Europe. In addition, his force of a
5 tronomers is increased at this time
les attend TO the several instruments SD
III cially fitted for this work. Last We;
us. the record of as many as 500 msteo
lre1 was taken at Cambridge. Mass v
- may hope that this year, which pror