The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-18
GREAT SHOWER Ut ?
FALLING STARS
Month of November May Furnish a
Splendid Spectacle
WILL COME THE l4TH. o. 9TH,
Preparations Being Made TO Observe
IL in Various Portions of the
World - Some Notable
Showers.
WILL COME THE l4TH. o. 9TH.

Cut portions OF the Mviihs NiiN H'hAH "'
November will witness one of most in
spring sights of the century, grand me-
tcoric shower.
Astronomers expect to see such an en-
cour sr next November. about the lith
or 15tn. n their calculations be correct,
watchers all over the earth may az the
time named See "a splendid display of the
heavens fireworks. Clouded skies can cut
out any view and as the moon will be
very nearly FUN ON November 18th 0uIi
moon occurs % November l7tm her light
viii cortainlX obscure the faint trails of
many shooting stars.
PREPARING FOR IT.
A writer In the New York sun has the
following 10 say:
Preparations are being made in many
or the observatorles of the world to OBJ
serve the expected grand display Some
astronomers will try 10 photograph the
group before We reach the crossroads.
The sunlight striking the group may Do
illuminate the bunch sufficiently 20 be seen
by the Photographic eye before the earth's
atmosphere converts the group into myr-
lads of veritable sky rockets
Observers VIII watch the heavens and
will trace. on prepared maps of the
stars. the track Of any well-observed me-
tcor. Many of these tracks being oh-
tanned The radiant point can be deter
mined. This is essential for calcula-
ton OF the orbit.
Or Elkins of Yale University has, with
the financial aid of the National Acads
envy of Sciences. placed several cameras
on AN axis parallel 10 the earth's axis
lie VIII aim the various cameras at differ
ent points Of the sky near the constellation
of Leo, on the night the shower is exc
pccted. and by the aid OF clock work the
cameras will De kept pointed TO the same
places.
When the shower begins. exposures
will he made giving. 20 is hoped dovel-
Oucd plates which will show numerous
stars crossed by meteor trails. 4 second
observing station several miles away will
also take photographs n is expected
that both Observatories will got pictures
of the same meteor trail The measure
ments OF the plates. referring the trails
fo the known stars on tho plates, viii
determine the elevations or the motcOrs
as seen from two places a known distance
apart This viii provide the data for
calculating the height I'm miles. Measure
ments OF the plates will also furnish the
most accurate determination of the radi-
ant point
All who wish n soo n wonderful sight
should be- ON me watch II might Doe well
for those desiring 10 see the disD'av 10
arrange with the telegraph or telerhone
companies or with a night Waterman
10 awaken thom in case the shower aD-
pears.
SOM UNCERTAINTY.
As has been Indicated. there are sew
eral elements of uncertainty about the
time OF the coming OF the shower. nc may
came n little earlier or later than NoVem-
Der 14th-1Jth. and some unknown effect
of the planetary pulls may so disturb
the motion of the swarm that it may de-
cline 90 put Tn am appearance an AN TINS
year II So the astronomer is quite GER
tain that he will see the display I'm the
last year Of the present century -NoVem-
Der 1860
The best time to observe is between
midnight and the sunrise-tWllighJ We
are then on the advancing 'front.' OF lhe
earth and will see those melrois we
catch up with or meet. During the hours
previous TO midnight we see only those
shooting stars which oVertake us on the
earth Riding ON the coWcatcher or Joe
conOtfve engine in the midst or down
pour of rain We are certain t0 get Wetlrr
than IF We sat on the platform or the
rear car. The illustration IS only suB-
FESTIVE
most interesting and instructive The ass
tronomers have been able 20 work out
Tho Ufe history Of these meteors from
the observations made Tn l7@ Hum
hoidt saw from the Andes Mountains
grand star shower and in 1888 there was
mother great meteoric display. Many
thousands fell iu the course OF Il rev
hours Professor Newton, Of New Haven.
investigated the matter. looked up Ola
records m star showers. and showed that
there had been a great number OF star
oh.
,,..ers auart and coming in the fall Of the
wear lie prophesied that the next return
would bo seen November 1914 lsDb. me
shower came as was predicted.