The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-04-26

we calculations such display is at least
year overdue Here Is the reason:
On the nights of November IL and
ID, 1888, the world was visited with the greatest
shower of meteors of which there Is any certain
record. All along the eastern seaboard OF the
United States people looked up at sky that
was literally afiame with failing stars" many
OF them as brilliant as the most brilliant fixed
star" In the armament. 1.-THE stars fell on this
occasion like flakes Of snow one observer has
recorded, "and 1t was calculated that at least
100000 of them had fallen during period of
nine hours"
Then people began to recall that exactly ON
the same date In 1799-34 years earlier-there
had been similar shower of falling stars.
Again In 1866 there was great shower and in
1867, one only slightly less spectacular than the
preceding year. Perhaps 1t WAS only coincidence
that these showers had come at SO or 81 wear
intervals or perhaps 1t was another manifesto
fion OF the regularity OF Nature. At any rate
the astronomers looked for another shower In
1899, but 1t failed to materialize. Neither did 1t
come the next year. Evidently the 80 or 34-year
period had been skipped entirely
Still nndaunted by the failure of the Leonids
tfor that Is the scientific name of these fall
Ing starsO to appear on schedule time In 1890
the astronomers eyed the heavens hopefully ON
November II and Is, 1882. But once more they
were disappointed as they were again last year.
But some of them still think that this coming
November may see the display of Natures fire.
works similar to those OF the years mentioned
above. What has happened to these showers OF
meteors at periods Of one-third OF century,
Nobody knows. The disappearance of the Leonids
is one OF the mysteries OF science -
Meteors, except as they come In showers like
the Leonids are not at all uncommon. There
Is never a clear moonless night when you cam
not step outside your house>and see several Of
them In the course of ~ minutes The most OF
them, OF course, are very small-mere little wisps
OF light that shoot across the heavens But now
and then you may see much brighter one At
times, though not many of us will have the luck
to see 1t, one comes with thunderous noise
like the roar of cannonade, and brilliance
that blinds the eyes
What are these fiery travellers through our
heavens? Men used to think that they were actIl-
ally stars broken loose from their moorings
Probably there are still many men who hold to
some such belief but 1t is very far from true.
The stars are great suns, many OF them vastly
larger than our own sun, and millions upon mil
lions of miles distant from our solar system
Meteors are the fiery display OF stones captured
out OF space by the gravtation OF the earth
and heated to incandescence by the friction OF
the air that blankets our globe. These stones
pierce our atmosphere at almost unthinkable
speeds, ranging from $4,000 to 100000 miles Der
hour.
What becomes OF them? They do not pet the
ground around us? No. the most OF them are
burned to ashes while still many miles above
U.s. Every now and then, however. one that is
too large to burn up before 1T hits the ground
does come. Such stones are called meteorites
and many thousands Of them, weighing from
several ounces to several tons, are on exhibit In
our museums.
Anyone - especially farmers may happen
upon a meteorte Prof. Harvey Fl. Nininger OF
the Colorado Museum OF Natural History In Den
yer, who Ia the worlds greatest authority on
the subject says that there is probably not an
area ten miles square anywhere In the United
States, where at least one stone from the sky
Is not waiting to be found 1t may be under the
ground. especially II 1t is large one or 1t may
be out In plain sight
His conjecture Is based on wide experience,
for he has himself collected more than 1900 OF
them during the past ten years. His specimens
may be seen In almost every large museum In
he world: In London. Paris. Berlin. Vienna. in
he Field museum In Chicago. in the Smithsonian
Institution In Washington. In the Museum Of Nat
lra History In New York City; and In many
others. No other man has collected even one
enth as many as he has. The most of Professor
liningers stones have been bought from farmers
Who turned them up while blowing or who found
hem In tramps across fields and pastures
They are easy to recognize. when one knows
What to look for. Most meteorites are one Of
wo kinds: iron meteorites stony meteorites
The irons are always black on the outside
when newly fallen; but when one has lain ex-
,esed to the air for time, Ii Will probably be
with rust In either case OF
curse, 1t will be very heavy. Often. but not
ways, 1t will have peculiar pits In It, somewhat
Ike a piece OF putty into which somebody has
ushed his thumbs and fingers Any strange
iecc Of iron, which isn't clearly of some other
rigin may possibly be meteorite
Stony meteorites are a bit harder to identify.
hey, too always heavier than the average
arth stone; and also they always black on