The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-29
TEMPLES COMET DUE AGAIN
THE NOVEMBER METEORIC SHOW
FER UNUSUALLY SPLENDID.
Such . Dfsplay-Millions Of Celes-
tial Bodies, Fragments of Wreck

m u furnish an interesting study for
E\Nt those yersed in astronomy, as
II w well as spectacular picture
~ " fascinating 20 all who are fond
~ the wonderful and the ST.
tline. Those vino give particular stten-
ton 20 the phenomena ot the heavens are
anticipating the coming Of the November
star shower with more than usual In
terest. since the display this fall is pre-
dicted 10 surpass In beauty that or any
previous year since ls}3 Prof William
Joyce Logan. OF the New York Academy
Of Science who visited Seattle last week.
Is authority FOR the above statement
Annually between November Is and D
there are occurrences OF these meieoric
showers varying In degree and attractive
ness: but If the calculations long since
made are fulfilled 10 the letter, the
heavens will next month take on a degree
% vondrous beauty. yivaiing anything
ever seen.
Some time during the week mentioned.
between midnight and dayb-eak. the
nyriads o. meteors that make up the
Ieonids or Temples comet viii cross the
orbit Of the earth and. becoming ignited
by contact with the earth's atmosphere
VIII sweep through the sky, leaving a
long. luminous trail. and countless mil
liens OF them VII be consumed IN their
flight Only the fact that they Will be
entirely consumed before reaching the
planet saves US from the dire consequences
OF collision.
TIA ALLINCs stars are a familiar sight.
trN Not lnfrequently some one OF these
wanderers Of the sky touches the
eartf's atmosphere and becomes lost TO
the heavenly bodies IN one sudden flash of
briliancy that for few seconds shimmers
n the air when I; disappears and seems
10 make yet more intense the darkness OF
night. OF these. I; is said. nothing il
known. except that they are seen for an
instant and then vanish
With the coming Of the Leonids. however,
SCIENCE IS as familiar as with the most
prominent OF the heavenly bodies. They
travel in an orbit differing from the
earth's around the sun. and their coming
is foretold with the same accuracy that
marks the prediction Of an eclipse OF the
sun or other common occurrences in the
heavens The Leonias take ,heIv name
fror1 the fact that they enter the earth ;
atmosphere from the cons; ellation Leo
which during the most brilliant part Of
the shower vill he plainly seen overhead.
They are known as Temples comet be
cause Il was that celebrated astronomer
who first determined The orbit OF the group
Of ine,cofs A third name by which they
are known Is comet one 1865" there hav-
ing been among a great number OF groups
discovered In that year
u " u
n Is the unanimous opinion of scien-
lists that at enc time the I>eonids We're
IL united body that moved through
space In the same orbit now follow I'd by the
comet. The hypothesis generally accepted
Is that the original body was iisinteerated
by the heat developed In It's course There
nr0hahly ex1insrr which ypuat Aato
startled the farthes, depths OF space The
original body became millions ~ frag-
ments. These however. K Is sve~rei. must
stili obey the forces that before had held
the aggregate body 10 it's course a.I they
became Tire comet 20 dazzle ohSerg .s the
world ever coming from beyonl the
earth's blanket OF air TO blaze away again
into blacixness
The last earlier appearance Of the
LeoIlds was on the night Of November l3.
1858 They Will probably appear day
later this year. which IS due from the
fact thar me point OF contact OF the orbits
Of the ,neteors and the earth moves fer
ward at the rate of a degree and a half
every year.
Every civilized government the world
over VIII have official observations made.
and all colleges having proper instru-
mentS viii have them focused 20 obtain
the best view 81 the remarkable sight II,
is calculated that TIE display will reach
is maximum hrillisney about o'clock on
the morning - November IL There will
be other bat less brilliant displays for
three or four successive nights and viii
he well worth hours Of watching
on the Pacific coast. II The weather is
favorable. the Illumination VIII De par
;icularly brilliant. and observations can Ire
made with the naked eye