ASTRONOMY AND METEOROLOGY. 397 



eastern portion of the observed path leaves it a matter of doubt, considering 

 the imperfection of the observations, whether the meteor finally passed out 

 of the atmosphere and went on its way in a disturbed orbit, or descended 

 gradually into the Atlantic. The former supposition is, perhaps, the more 

 probable, especially if the path was curved, as above suggested, instead of a 

 straight line. 



4. The meteor exhibited different appearances in different parts of its 

 course. It seems to have been observed first as a single body, more or less 

 elongated, gradually increasing in brilliancy, throwing off occasionally sparks 

 and flakes of light, until it reached the neighborhood of Elmira, N. Y. 

 Here something of an explosion occurred, and the meteor separated into 

 two principal portions, with many subordinate fragments, all continuing on 

 their course in a line behind each other, and still scattering luminous sparks 

 along their track, until a point was reached about south of Nantucket, where 

 a second considerable explosion took place, and afterwards the principal 

 fragments passed on till lost to view in the distance. [The distance out at 

 sea at which it was seen is reported at between three and four hundred 

 miles. Editor.] The most trustworthy observations represent the meteor as 

 disappearing while yet several degrees above the horizon (generally from 

 three to six or eight degrees). 



5. It is not easy, from the observations on hand, to determine with much 

 accuracy the velocity of the meteor while passing through our atmosphere. 

 A comparison of the most probable estimates of time with the length of the 

 path observed gives a velocity ranging from eight to fifteen miles a second. 

 Probably twelve or thirteen miles is a tolerable approximation. This, allow- 

 ing for the earth's motion in its orbit, gives twenty-six or twenty-seven miles 

 a second as the actual velocity of the meteor in space. Its relative velocity 

 may have been much greater when just entering the atmosphere than after 

 encountering its accumulated resistance. 



6. The actual diameter of the luminous mass, taking its apparent diame- 

 ter as nearly equal to that of the moon (the estimate of many observers 

 nearest its track), must have been from one-fifth to one-third of a mile. 

 Many estimates would make it much larger. The two principal heads, 

 when passing New Haven, must have been from one to three miles apart. 

 Silliman's Journal. 



The evening on which this meteor appeared was oppressively warm and 

 close, and great numbers of people were, consequently, out of doors or at 

 windows, in situations favorable for witnessing the phenomenon. The 

 meteor first attracted attention by its light, and, on looking up, the majority 

 of observers saw two balls of flame coursing across the sky, from west to 

 east, " like two chariots of fire urging their way in some mysterious race 

 over the mighty course of the firmament." The motion was majestic rather 

 than rapid, and the apparent nearness of the flame to the earth caused many 

 to suppose at first that it was merely a pyroteclmical display. 



The meteor was seen by a gentleman in Boston through a telescope of 

 considerable power. The observer chanced at the moment to be looking at 

 the planet Mars, and seeing the light of the meteor, he turned his telescope 

 upon it, and followed its course until it passed out of sight. He made a 

 sketch of its appearance, showing that the train of sparks which it left 

 behind came from' the front of the mass, where, from the compression of the 

 air being greatest, the combustion was most intense. 



Professor G. P. I>ou<J, of the Cambridge Observatory, considers it probable 



Jl 



