Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-11-01
TO FALL NovEMRERi4-l5
Comes 0nco in Every 80 xoors-Hou
Rect 10 SEQ This Celestial show OF
Fireworks = Astronomers Every.
where Preparing to study It scicn-
tIncniiy-A Description OF show
CIR OF Mctoors.
(Chicago Daily News.)


Der will present an inspiring and daz-
cling display Of meteors. Astronomers
are looking forward to the event with
great interest, and many preparations
are being made in the observatorlcs of
the world with n view to securing more
complete knowledge OF this periodical
phenomenon. BY means OF careful tele-
scopfc observations and elaborate pho
tograp PHO records to be made in various
locations 1t is hoped that we may learn
many new things about these strange
celestial visitors from the unknown
realms OF space into the atmosphere of
the planet on which we live. No such
display as Is expected In November has
been seen since 1866. In view of this
amazing natural phenomenon the fol-
lowing article will prove particularly
interesting. 1t WAS prepared by j. *.
KEGS, professor OF astronomy in CO.
lumbia University, New York:
A SHOWER OF SHOOTING STARS.
All persons who watch the heavens
and gaze in admirlng wonder on the
gilttering stars see frequently appar-
ent runaway stars dashing among their
fixed fellows, leaving trails OF light be-
nind, and then. usually in 4 second or
two, disappearing completely. These
stars seem to have been shot out from
previous fixed position by some ire
mendous force which makes the watch
err think OF the action of Il great can
non, and hence the name OF Shooting
star3' is given.
The astronomer knows that these
shooting stars" are not really stars.
Real stars are giant and distant suns
shining by their own light. Shooting
stars are cold, dark bodies, which be-
come hot and visible when they strike
the air surrounding the earth. The We
docity OF their motion is, on the aver
age. about twenty-five miles n second,
and so when they dash into the earth's
atmosphere the friction OF the air pro-
duces n Temperature OF many thousand
degrees. The result Is that as these
bodies are usually very small they are
completely evaporated and dissipated.
sometimes quite large bodies are able
10 resist this tremendous FRACTIONAL
heating and then the rcsldues reach
the earth. Such bodies when found are
called meteorites metcoric stones. aero
lites (air stones or uranoliths Cheayen
stones).
WHAT AUTHORITIES ARE MADE
Some consist OF nearly pure iron
with nickel others are stony. and still
others arc mainly stony. with grains
and Siobulcs OF iron. COMPARATIVELY
very few meteors have been seen TO
tall. Their chemical and meteorological
character les such that they can be
Identified rs meteors, 1t Is supposed,
without any one seeing them fall The
number of shooting stars visible to the
naked eye is far greater than one
would imagine who only glances ut the
Sky now and then. y single observer
can see on the average, abou, five an
hour. Bnt such group of watchers
can observe. ordinarily. only those stars
which shoot" within 200 or 900 uiIas
of their observing station. If there
fore, the whole earth were covered will,
observers enough to see all the heavens.
II mas been calculated by the late Prof.
Newton. of Yale University, that the
number Visihln dolly, would he hntweon
$1,000, 600 and 10000. 900 When to this
number we add those which are too
faint to be sccn by the naked eve. We
reach n. total which may run up 10
10O,O00O0o. We are. therefore, forced to
the conclusion that Interplanetary
spaces are quite rich in such bodies.
Investigations show that these shooting
stars are OF Il Sregarious temperament.
Millions travel together In the Same
swarm or group. They have plenty OF
room, the separate bodies frequently
being miles apart.
IN A SHOWER OF SHOOTING
STARS.
The terrestrial inhabitant is hence
treated 10 most awe-inspiring and
dazzling display when the earth en-
counters such group.
Astronomers expect to see such an
encounter next November, about the
14th or 18th. If their calculations be
correct watchers all over the earth may
at the time named see n splendid dis
play OF the heavens fireworks. Cloud
ed skies can cut away the view, and
ms the moon will be very nearly full on
November Ii (full moon occurs on No
vember 11) her light will certainly OBJ
scurc the faint trails of many shoot
Ing stars.
The best time to observe IS between
midnight and the sunrise twilight. We
are then on the advancing front of the
earth and will see those meteors we
catch up with or meet. During the
hours previous to midnight we see only
those shooting stars which ovcrtakc us
on tho earth. Riding on the cow
catcher Of locomotive engine in the
midst of downpour of rain we are Ger
tain to get wetter than il we sat on the
platform Of the rear car. The illustra-
ton Is only suggestive.
The STORY OF the November metcors"
Is most interesting and instructive. The
astronomers have been able to work
out tile life history of these meteors
I'oiH tHo opserFhtiolS IMAGE. IN lf9J
S. Humboldt saw from the Andes
Mountains a grand star shower and in
1898 there was another great meteoric
display. Many thousands fell in the
course of few hours. -(TrOf Newton,
Nof New Haven, investigated the mat
ter, looked mp old records Of star show
ers and showed that there had been n
great number Of star showers occur
ring about thirty-three years apart and
coming in the fall of the year. He
prophcs!cd that the next return would
be seen November 1s, IA. 1866 The
shower came us was predicted.
n1rs.c,1, 1ptr1ON ON cunruI,o