The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-11-11
WATCH FOR THE LEONIDS.
LAST YEARS MISSING NBTEORS
NAY APPEAR THIS WEEk.
Astronomers 1hink That Perhaps They were
Only Delayed and Therefore Will Prepare
to Observe Them-Plans hsdc at HaTvard
and suxssstions for Amateur Obsrrvsrs.

~ ouknsbtious u
CAMBRIDGE. Mass. Nov. IO.-The most inter-
esting astronomical question just now Is whether
the great meteoric shower which was due
in November Of last year, but ud not
then appear. much TO the disappointment OF
astronomers all over the world. Is TO be given
up rs lost. or whether it IN, merely been de-
laycd a year beyond the calculated time and
will take place In its full glory next week, The
attitude Of the Harvard College Observatory
In this matter Is probably typical OF that taken
at most astronomical stations While adj
hitting that the chances of the hover appear
Ing are less than a year ago. Prof Pickering
and his assistants have not by any means gwen
up hope. and though the preparations which
have been made for recording II are less ex-
tensive than they wero last November. they
are sttll sufficient TO take full advantage OF the
situation In case the shower occurs.
The November shooting stars are, OF course.
a recognized Institution, and are due on NOV.
IS and IA each year They ara known a. the
Leonids, from tie position Of their central point
in tho constellation OF the Lion. and the num-
Der seen in ordinary years would range from
50 or 100 TO 500 or 1909 The Harvard Obser-
vatory noted some co.. for example. last Novem-
Der. Hut what was "a pected last year, and IL
hoped for next Tuesday night. Is a recurrence
of the magnificent displays which were seen
in l7Og. 1883 ana 1900. when not hundreds but
,har.,,d- ~,I tn ~ ,h,u.ppd. shot into the
earth's atmosphere In 1893 IA competent OBJ
server ia Boston calculated that the number
amounted TO ?+O,oJu. seeming To- tue eye TO IAN
as thickly as the flakes IN a snow storm. IL
may "a sily be seen low such a display would
ra, i III ,,,nI a,r,.o =, tho ann as tho nost
spectacular of the celestial phenomena.
The interval between these great meteorsc
giver f. ttir,v.three Years But the nature
NJ tho shootins stars il such that they are
2ocullorly Liable 10 rerturbations. so called.
caused by the attraction Of the planets. Within
"a. Ia., son ye,r. indeed they have swung
ou, ~ ana orhi, and into another hy the
iucuon,e ~ the rl.uet Uranus During tho
l,st ,eri,d -, thirty three ,ears. II seems, tley
have he.p esrcrislly liable TO rerturha,ion,
md soma astronomers who look for the great
shower Ia tax. place next week ascribe the
dal,, IN ,hi. c,use
I, ,o,ass,rv 70 understand tho I eonIds
40 , s,rsom a., small uarticl.s. no larger than
,r,i,s ~ .,,d tho dahris. rerbops. Of a comet
--n,yiny Continuously In 81 mighty orbit.
which annually. i'm tbs uiddl. o., November.
,r,arsoc,. tho orbit NJ tho eorth Through
r,,.t NJ the I.rgtb of his bel, the PARTICLES ara
o,lr .rarsoIy sco,,.,od tu+ Il, ono rlacs they
mr.. pnppragataI in a yuEf swarm. with rpla-
,iar % wt,cr ,bo o,hers may no ,egorded only
ma strayrlors Tho lecrids com, le,e their
nrhi, In tlirty -nros ,csrs, time md once in
thir,v-,hrea yc,r. ,Lcrcyore, Wien We enter
tho nort 90 tho Great -vrrn. We may look for
su,L A., d.,Iav s.tbat o,,,q2 or isss In ether
Gears rs 500 rorc,v Tho strsrclors In time.
~ co,rsa ,berortl les will no scattered moro
ev.nlv through their orhif. since tho outer ones
toks moro ,itpo n cnr,rl,tc tho circuit than
,ho irn.r ono. and land constantly TO fall re-
hi,d #, tho race Bpt his #. n matter of mill
Ious NJ, years. like 50 many other ouerations
in astrnn,mv
Il, ,o.sir, through tho orbit ~ IN. Loo
,iI. nr,r ~ n,r,tcIos uttcb era igni,.d
nr .,,.,i,g ~. o.r,b ia atmosrtor. sore ,or NJ,
ON, uiIss d,s,,,t 20 oonlds vs-e over known
70 rooch rho earth tho ,srrIec boat m which
,bov ors suhiec,ed hu-nirp them on, before
,bsy baro onr-oschaa nea-e than frtr or sixty
,niIa, Tbay ora IN ho distinguished entirely
from the sporedic ue,eorites which from
49, g. ,,,, onra,- - . er.hous q, ~. ~
snd so,,o,imes r,II IN tho Garth before they are
hmrr, 81, In ,nosse. Weighing thousands of
,our1s s,orsr ., such 90 ,bese would Iva
htsas,ra,. ,,hjIa ,ha oorids ars o,,l,e ba-mIass
IT, ., ,so, st,,.a- ~. o.,o,-o, uLo,.d ,bo
o,,o,r,cs ~ ,ho ne 70 ray. umbrella Tbi.
~ 1,, - ~, ,,o, tho, ali tho .o,ias scanning
+, A., o. 10 a,r,i,c tn .rorr s,-ec,jon IN tho
49,. r,,.,aI 80 oa-,,i, e,o. oa,t-.
-. aauoI ra,ia,, ra,,rrod,o has,r. M bo,,e
~ 49, e",s,aua,tan -, m,,,a-o =, ,oc,
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Nv -, raIIo,ian r. ,uo, 20 nor-
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t"'"' TL. raian, howarar ia
-.. g.. 49, 1, 4, 90 10
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