St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-11-15
The MeteOric Shower of 1888.

/ find in the New England Magazine
for January, 1884, an account of the re-.
markable display of shooting stars on
the night of Nov. 13, 1888, by writer
who acknowledges that he was himself
in the land OF dreams at the time, and so
had not the good fortune to see the mag.
nlfcent spectacle. But he quotes from
observers who were happy enough to be
called from their pillows to witness the
glorious flashing of the elements. The
periodicity Of the display had not then
been observed, although it is remarked
as curious coincidence that the mete-
oric shower of 1899, equalling that of
1888 in brlliancy, occurred on the night
o. Nov. u. The writer adds prophetic
ally that philosophy, in her ripper age,
may draw many important inierences
from these remarkable condolences |
copy some passages from the article,
which may prove of interest to those
who are about to watch for the trails Of
flaming star dust with which our No
vember air is soon to glow.
THE general description of the phe-
nomenon is that of innumerable meteors,
in rapid succession, and for long space
of time, darting down the heavens, filling
them with light, leaving behind long
trains of brightness, and exploding in the
most brilliant coruscations. The least
excited observers speak of the heavens
being streaked with living fre'-of the
atmosphere above and around rolling
up and kindling into innumerable balls
of rolling 6re'-and other comparisons
equally emphatic. 1t may be doubted
whether any description has surpassed,
in accuracy and mpressiveness, that of
the old negro in Virginia, who remarked:
1T is awful, indeed, sir, it looked like ripe
crab apples falling from the trees, when
shaking them for cider The meteors
differed in size and brlliancy, some seem
ing little more than mere points, others
were larger and brighter than Jupiter
or Venus. Professor Omstead of New
Haven mentions one as large as the
moon. Two also are recorded as seen at
Richmond, Va, oil uncommon size, which
exhibited very singular and beautiful APP
pearances. Both were about the size OF
sixinch globe. One of these darted to
the northeast, leaving behind it a train
OF light apparently two or three hundred
yards in length, and threw sparks in
every direction. until it exploded in a
thousand brilliant particles. 1t con-
tinued in its path of light while sixty
three were counted by the observer. The
other, equal in size, shot to the south
east and continued in its course while
one hundred and thirty. seven were
counted. A cracking noise attended
both. In Newton, N. l., one observer re-
ported dark spot, like a cloud, which
gradually grew darker and smaller,
until it burst and produced a brilliant
and extended flash of light. Another
person at the same place saw a body of
light in the east resembling the disk of
the sun, seen through a cloudy atmos-
phere. This gradually grew DINNER and
more indistinct, until it finally disap.
peared. In Warren, O., a luminous spot
was observed in the northeast, resembl-
ing the new moon. 1t then assumed the
appearance of the itaic S., was exceed
ingly brilliant, and apparently fifteen or
twenty feet in length. The most singular
OF these meteors was that which, in some
OF the accounts, is called the serpent, and
is described by Professor Olmstead This
was ball, which shot off in northwest
direction, and exploded near the star
Capella, in the Goat. This left, just be-
hind the place of its explosion, a long
train of light Of peculiar beauty. 1t was
at first straight; but it soon began to