The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-11-01

remarkable and spectacular stream OF
shooting stars ever predicted by as
tronomers. In Washington the scien-
lists of the United States naval obser-
vatory are making elaborate prepara-
tions for observing the coming appear
ance of the Leonids, while throughout
the colleges, universities, and astrono-
mical observatories Of the United
States and Of the world thousands OF
men trained TO knowledge OF the
stars are awaiting with eager interest
an opportunity to observe the grandest
Of celestial phenomena.
Once every thirty-three years the
wondrous spectacle of millions Of stars
falling out Of the heavens is witnessed
by the human race-a seemingly long
time, this thirty-three years, a genera
tion in the life Of man, second in the
eternity Of the heavens. A goodly
percentage Of persons are living to-day
whose age exceeds this average Of hu-
man existence; smaller by far is the
humber whose years exceed three score
and six; while the world contains only
an in6nitesmal proportion of men and
women whose years will reach the ex-
treme limit of ninety and nine. But
che assertion is safe that there are
none living to-day whose eyes have
ever beheld the cataclysm of living
fire which pours from the SKY when
the orbit Of the Leonids int,rsects
that of the earth who will not bear
forever in mind the memory of that
spectacle. At any rate, if the calcu-
lations of the astronomers who are
heralding throughout the world the
near coming Of the Leonids do not fall
this magnificent and awe-inspiring
sight will be viewed by tens Of mil
lions Of the members Of great general
republic on the 18th of November Of
this year.
So relatively rare is the appearance
Of the Leonids that questions natu-
rally present themselves to the ordi-
nary person as to what in reality are
the iLeonids, where do tEey come
from, and how is it possible to predict
the fall Of one or more shooting stars?
These questions have been answered
in part by calculations and observa-
tions, and in part by well founded
theories Of astronomers.
WANDERERS OF THE SKY.
In the first place the single meteor
or meteorite, which makes, when it
strikes the atmosphere Of the earth,
the so-called shooting star, is often a
mere tramp Of the heavens. tits the
detached fragment of some bursted
planet, and, too small for observation
with the finest telescope, it waDders
around in space until it comes within
the circle Of attraction Of some large
body, when gravity causes it to fall.
Generally, in the course of its descent
through the atmosphere Of the large
body, the meteorite generates SO much
heat that it il entirely consumed; the
meteor, being larger, continues on aud
strikes the earth. But neither the
single meteor or meteorite can be OBJ
served except in the brilliant fashion
of its death.
The comet, on the contrary, is a
creature Of the skies more to be reck-
oned with. Erratic as its wandering 8
may seem to the unsophistocated, in
reality it pnrsues most definite
course throughout the regular courses
of the stars. The length Of the orbit
which it travels varies from COM
peratively snail distance Of few
hundred millions of miles to one which
reaches into the thousands Of billions.
The time which different comets take
in completing their orbits varies from
three and half to hundred thousand
years. The preciseness of astronomi-
cal knowledge is such that the exact
rate per second Of the movement Of
the bodies eau be determined and the
time at which they will arrive at any
given point in their orbit can be pre-
dicted to the second.
When the statement is made then
that the Leonids are but the frag-
ments of former comet and that
these fragments are following the
course pursuedsin bygone ages by that
comet, it will be readily seen that
there is nothing remarkable in the
further statement that modern astro.
nomers can predict almost the exact
time at which the November meteorie
showers will make their appearance
The swarm Of PARTICLES which formed
the once glorious orb known as lem
pel's comet now pursue in the outel
darknass of snace the idantical natf