OBSERVATIONS. 83 



night, and even at the same moment of time, 

 sufficiently establish the accuracy of the first 

 remark ; and the fact that they must have an 

 elevation of at least several miles, is proved by 

 their never being seen within the region of the 

 clouds. Of more than 260 shooting stars, above 

 tlie medium size, observed in the course of the 

 eight years, not one was perceived to pass be- 

 neath a cloud ; it is desirable, however, that the 

 altitude of these meteors should be con-ectly 

 ascertained by exact measurements. 



On the 7th of September, 1828, at half-past 

 eight, P.M., a large meteor appeared which was 

 visible over a greal extent of country. Accord- 

 ing to numerous accounts of this phenomenon, 

 which, with the assistance of Mr. Peter Barrow, 

 I collected from newspapers and other periodical 

 publications, it was seen at Glasgow and Dum- 

 fries, in Scotland; at Newcastle-on-Tyne, Carlisle, 

 the village of Bolton in the north riding of York- 

 shire, Whitby, Scarborough, York, Hull, Preston, 

 Horton in Ribblesdale, Blackpool, Manchester, 

 Matlock, Northampton, Chelmsford, Bristol, 

 Brighton, and Plymouth, in England ; at several 

 of which places it is remarked, that its altitude 

 above the horizon was very considerable; it was 

 seen also by a passenger on board a steam-boat 

 a few miles to the north of the lisLe of Man. 



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