The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-15

planet Uranus was near the swarm as
they passed his orbit, and he by the pow
er Of his perturbing attraction pulled them
back and caused them to pursue small er
orbit The present path. Uranus captured
for the solar system this interesting group
of meteors. The group is subject now, in
its motion around the sun, 20 disturbing
effects of pulls from the other planets, Ju-
pter. Saturn and the earth. These pulls
make the accurate calculations difficult,
and produce a little uncertainty as 10 the
times of the showers, A few weeks after
the 1866 shower of Leonids the Astronomer
Schiapareni of Milan published paper on
the August meteors Cor Perseids, because
their radiant spot is in Perseus) He show
ed the wonderful fact that a bright comet
was moving in the same path as the Au-
gust meteors A little later Prof Oppol-
ger Of Germany published his orbit of Tenn
pers comet OF 1866. Then il was seen that
remarkable coincidence exs ed between
the orbits of the November me'eors ana
Temples 1866 comet-the orbits were 'prac-
tically identical" Several years later the
meteoric shower radiating from Androme-
da was shown to be following in the uath
of Biela's comet. Later yet the April me-
teors were found to be associated with
comet Four such remarkable cases seem
TO prove a physical connection between
comets and meteors> Many astronomers
hold that these meteors swarms are simply
the result of comets going to pieces under
the action OF the sun, during their success
sive returns to perhelion. The earths at
mosphere, Ban remarks, acts, in burning
IN the cometary pieces like a scresn in
protecting us from bombardment. III the
air were less dense and thinner many more
meteors might get through TO the earth
No meteorits have come 10 us from any or
the great showers
Preparations by Astronomers
Preparations are being made in many of
The observatories OF the world TO observe
the expected grand display Some as
tronomers win try to photograph the group
before we reach the crossroads. The sun
light striking the group may illuminate
the bunch sufficiently 90 be seen by the
photographic eye before the earths at
| mosphere converts tho group into myflads
| of Veritable skyrocketS.
Observers will watch the heavens and
will trace on prepared maps of the stars
| tho track of any well observed meteor.
| MANY of these tracks being obtained the
radiant point can be determined ThAs Is
essential for a calculation of the orbit
| DR. EllSins Of Yale University has with
| the financial aid of the National Academy
OF Sciences. placed several cameras on an
| axis parallel to the earth's axis. lie VIII
| aim the various cameras at different points
l fNNtt
on the night the shower Is expected, and
| bv the aid of clockwork the cameras VIII
| be kent pointed to the same places When
| the shower begins exposures Will be made
| giving, Il is hoped, developed plates which
| win show numerous stars crossed by me-
teor trails. A second observing station
several miles away will also take photo
| graphs il is expected that both observa-
| tories will get pictures of the same meteor
| Grail The measurements OF the plates,
| referring the trails to the known stars on
the plates, will determine the elevations
| of the meteors as seen from two places
| a known distance apart. This will pro-
| vide the data for calculating the hight in
miles Measurements of the plates will
also furnish the most accurate determine
ton of the radient point.
All who wish to see a wonderful sight
should be on the watch. II might be we'll
for those desiring to see the display to
arrange with the telegraph or telephone
companies, or with a night Waterman, 10
waken them in case the shower appears.
As has been indicated, there are several
elements of uncertainty about the time OF
the coming of the shower. IL may come
a little earlier or later than Nov. 14-15,
and some unknown effect of the planetary
pulls may so disturb the motion of the
| swarm that II may decline TO put in an
appearance at ell this year. II so. the
astronomer Is quite certain that he will
see the display in the last year of the
present century-November, 1900. When
one sees the grand shower the words OF
the Psalmist will come to mind:
''The heavens declare the glory OF God,
| and the armament showeth His handi-
work" J. K Rees.