The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-14
METEORS ON DRESS PARADE.
EXPECTED TO MAKE A GREAT
SHOWING TONIGHT.
Some Facts Concerning the Antict-
pated Display This and To-
Morrow Nights.

Notwithstanding all that has been
published during the last rev montnS
concerning the display of meteors or
shooting stars scheduled to take place
this week-and commencing tonight
many persons have apparently neg
lected to inform themselves as to the
nature of the phenomena. and why it is
the astronomers are able to tell so ac-
curately the date of its recurrence.
On the 18th or 10th is expected the
appearance that every thirty-three
years takes place of millions of failing
stars" In 1900, 1888 and 1866 the
phenomena were universally observ-
able, and it is predicted that this year
the November display will be unusually
spectacular.
Since the first noted flight, in 1888,
meteoric astronomy has been studied,
and it has been found that the tracks
OF shooting stars seen on certain dates,
when traced backward. point to par
ticular point Of the heavens, or that
meteors appear to radiate from GER
tain point among the stars, situated in
the constellation of the Lion, on which
account these shooting stars have been
called Leonides or Leonids. None who
behold the cataclysm of fire which will
pour from the sky when the orbit of the
Leonids intersects that of the earth will
fail to bear forever in mind the memory
of the spectacle. Every year few
scattered fragments of the shattered
heavenly body are seen, but the APP
pearance iof the main groups is relative
ly rare.
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
the detached fragment OF some burst
planet, too small for observation with
the best telescope, wandering in space
until it comes within the circle of at
traction of some larger body, when
gravity causes it to fall. Generally in
the course of it's descent through the
atmosphere Of the larger body the
meteorite generates so much heat that
1t Is entirely consumed; but, if large
enough, a part remains and strikes the
earth.
But neither the single meteor nor
meteorite can be observed except in the
brilliant fashion of its death. The
comet, on the contrary is a, creature of
the skies more to be reckoned with; for,
erratic as it's wandering may seem, in
reality it pursues definite course
among the stars. The lengths of the
orbit which comets travel vary from a
few hundred millions of miles to thou
sands of billions. The time which diff
ferent comets take in completing their
orbits varies from three and one-half
to hundred thousand years.
The preciseness of astronomical
knowledge is such that the exact dis
lance of one of these bodies moves in
a second can be determined. Hence the
time at which it will arrive at any
given point in its orbit can be pre-
dicted to the second.
AS the Leonids are but the frag-
ments of a former comet, and as those
fragments are following the course pur-
sued in bygone ages by that comet,
there is nothing remarkable in the
further statement that modern as
tronomers can predict the time at which
the November meteoric showers will
appear. The swarms of particles which
formed the once glorious orb known as
Temples comet now pursue in the outer
darkness of space the identical path
which they followed when parts of a
composite whole.
This year the earth will strike the
center of the comet, and on the prin-
cipal night-which will probably be that
of November 14th--the meteoric shower
is expected to present a scene of beauty.
Before midnight there will not be much
to reward the watcher.
Reckoned by the figures of the hea-
vens, the Leonids are but infants. Ac-
cording TO Professor Newcomb. Temples
comet has been dead only $500 years.
The cause of explosion was probably
the intense heat generated by the ter
rife rate at which the comet revolved.
But for the fragments of the burning
body there could be no rest. The forces
which compelled the larger body to fol-
low through countless ages a certain
path were at work as well among the
flying particles. They fell into line, the
larger fragments taking the head of the
line and the smaller particles falling in
behind for a million miles and more,
and the amending journey, interrupted
for while. was taken up again along
the old path.
The course of Temples comet and of
its subsequent particles completely en-
circles the orbit of the earth, touching
Continuing, it crosses the orbit of
Jupiter and Saturn and extends few
millions of miles beyond that of
Uranus. It's orbit is elliptica1 and
twenty times as long as that of the
earth.
No one is able to predict the exact
hour at which the November meteoric
showers will begin. Although these
meteorids revolve around the sun in a
definite orbit. the point of that orbits
intersection with the orbit of the earth
moves forward at the rate of one and
one-half degrees a year. thus throwing
the advent of the meteors a few hours
later at each succeeding fall.
For example, the fall of 1888 occurred
on the night of Novmeber 18th; the fall
of 1899 will take place on the evening
of November 14th, and probably will
be of some hours duration. 1t will be
visible throughout the whole of the
North American Continent and in Eu
rope and Asia.
The November meteors receive the
name of Leonids from the fact that
they seem to pour out from that part
of the heavens wherein is located the
constellation of Leo In weight these