The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-10-25

ny lNt ruiz ~ Wli'h Wv R''''h -
yolyed aa II tore through space.
The sight. ns the great fery body
burst into million molten fragments,
must have been grand and awful be-
yord the powers Of human comprehen-
sion.
fiut. for the fragments VI the burning
body there could be no rest The IN
visible but relentless forces which drew
tho larger body Through countless ages
along certain path wcrc NJ work also
among the shattered dying particles.
Thsy fell into line. The largest frag-
mcnis forged 10 the front and the
smaller particles fell In behind FOR Il
million miles or more The unendlng
journey. Interrupted for ID while, was
taken Up again along the old path.
The course Of Temples comet, and
Of lts subsequent fragments, completely
encircles the orbit OF the earth, touch
Ing II at one place only on Its outer
edge. Once only In thlrty-three years
does Temples comet complete lts or
biz. and once only do the Fragments Of
the dead comet myriads IN number,
trail across the orbit Of the earth.
WHEN this does happcn. however. mil.
lions Of these particles are drawn from
their orbit and fall into the atmosphere
Of the earth with an effect which daz-
Eles the spectators.
The single meteor or meteorite that
makes when II strikes the earth's at
mosphcrc the so-called shooting star
In mere tramp Of the heayens Il is
a detached fragment Of some shattered
planet. and Il wanders more or less at
random through space until II comes
within the lircle OF attraction Of some
larger bo1y. when gravity causes Il to
fall. In the course Of It's descent
through the atmosphere the msteorite
generates 80 much heat that It is en-
tircly consumed: the mebeor being lar
ger. continues on and strikes the earth
Occasionally the heat generated by
the meteor Is NO great that 81 bursts be-
fore coming In contact with any solid
substance. In such "A case It Il termed
a hre-ball But neither the single me-
horite nor the meteor can be observed
by the telescope or by the naked eye
except at the brilliant moment OF It's
death.
But the comet Is u creature Of the
skies more to be rcckoned with, Er.
ratio as itb wanderings may seem 10
the unlearned. In reality II pursues a
definite course among the morr regular
orbits Of the stars. The length n the
orbit which It travels varies from the
small distance of few
hundred millions OF miles 10 one THAI
reaches into the thousands OF billions.
The time which different comets take
In completing their orbits varies from
,hree and half 90 a hundred thousand
years. The precision Of astronomical
Is such that the exact rate
per second of the movement OF these
bodies ran be determined, and the time
n which they will arrive at any given
point OF their orbits can be predicted 10
he second.
Regarding the approaching meteoric
display. Professor william a. Hardness
who has charge OF the Astronomical de-
Darlment OF the United States govern
nent naval observatory said:
we are unable TO predict the exact
iour at which the November meteoric /.
showers will begin, From the best
present estimates II may be expected
hat the showers will reach a maxi
mum az a. m. on the morning Of the |
9th Of November They wiz probably
,egn three or four hours earlier than
his to fall in small bursts. They will
ontlnue throughout the morning OF the
9Th OF November, and will b. more
Il less observable during the evenings
nd mornings Of the 10th, 10th and nth
( November, although on each sue
eeding day the number Of meteors OBJ
ervable will diminish.
These meteors and meteorites vary
/, weight from few grains to many
ounis. The strike the earth's atmos-
here at a height OF seventy four miles
nd begin to burn. being entirely con-
umed when they are at a height Of 50
lilies
The phenomenon OF a great meteoric
hover Is generally perfectly noiseless
ne. When the streak is first formed
is narrow and perfectly straight, but
ecomes serpentine and assumes an lr-
egular figure as It drifts along under
he influence OF the wind currents In
he upper region OF the atmosphere.
hese streaks or trails are Of various
olors, owing partly to the composition
their elementary substance md
artly to their altitude. Some are Of
delicate greenish hue, while others
ght up the skies with ruddy glow,
freaks OF orange, red and white, with
Iuish white, commingle to form
ost remarkable and beautiful specta-
e. Occasionally an orange colored
eteor may be observed, leaving in its
AXE streak Of green, I
MANY valuable results will no doubt |
, gained from this years observa- !
ons, This will be the first time in {
eir history that the Leonids will be !
e center of a systematic observation I
roughout the world" .