The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-11
AUGUST METE0Rs
EXPECTED soon
Display of Astronomical Phenom-
ena Looked for Here Be
fore Middle of Month.
VISIBLE 18TH AND 14TH
October and November Also
Scheduled TO Witness Similar
Activity.

Keep your eye open for meteorio
phenomena, Tor tine usual August dis
play In apt TO take place anytime, from
now ANTI August 10, especially about
the IL and ~. An October display
10 also expected, and there viii also
be another one in November.
Records show not only that there
are meteoric bodies in all the regions
of space known as those of our solar
system, but that they have paths or
orbits, which intersect the earth's orbit
at intervals. Thus one set appears
In April and other sets In July, Au-
gust, October and November. When
a meteor 10 moving rapidly towards
the earth 1t appears to move slowly,
or even TO stand still until its motion
again becomes apparent on account
observer, as he looks at the meteor
from the rapidly moving earth.
How They Are Named.
The meteors are named for the
considerations from which they APP
pear TO descend, Aquarids appears
TO come from the constellation
Aquarlus. the Leonids from Leo and
Athe Perseids from Perseus. But none
of the meteors come from anywhere
near the considerations, as these are
untold millions of miles away, while
the meteors appear at most a Few
thousand miles before coming to heir
finish by falling on the land or in the
water of our planets. The sat!sfac-
tory proof that they belong to our
own solar system is that they cross
the paths OF the earth at several
periods each year.
Meseors have been scientihcal My
observed and recorded as far back as
ss4 B. C.. by the Chinese. Between
that time and A. d. 323, Ia great
showers of meteors were recorded In
the astronomical annals of that very
curious people. They Were also OBJ
served by the Greeks and the Romans,
who were always careful to work
them up in politics, to influence and
awe the superstitious. Meteoftc
showers were doubtlessly looked for
during the 'ides of March" in Julius
Caesars time, when all the astrono-
mical phenomena were called upon,
as they are sometimes to-day, to DO
church and political duty.
Are Of All Sizes.
Meteors are OF all sizes. One
weighing twenty tons Is on view In
Portland, Ore. The astronomer,
HALEY, saw very brilliant meteor
that suddenly illuminated the streets
of London. On August IS, 1fs3, a
| meteor was observed all the way from
Rome to the North of ireland. AT
Edinburgh 1t appeared as single. but
| at Greenwich 1t had split into two
bright balls. and they were followed
by other luminous bodies. 1t was be-
| yond the earth's atmosphere, and had
O. speed Of 1000 miles a minute. Or
November FL, 1919. a meteor was seer
| from Danvers Mass, and Richmond
! 1t was descending toward the eartf
| and two minutes after 1t disappear.
| ance O. rumbling noise was heard
| which lasted for more than q minute
On the evening of July 20, 1880
a meteor passed over the State OF
New York, coming from the West. II
was seen over Lake Erie, and soon
after at Buffalo. Albany. New York
| city, New Haven. Newport and New
| Bedford, Mass. Tt was also visible
| from Delaware. From a vessel of
| Sandy Hook 1t appeared to fall in the
sea, after splitting into two parts
which emitted sparks and flames
| The larger meteors generally make
| their appearance at one of the
periodical times as in April, July Oh
October. more rarely in November.