226 Mr. J. Glaisher on the Meteor which appeared 



N.N.E. Its course appeared to me (in the part I saw) to be 

 nearly parallel to the horizon, or rather inclining towards it; 

 and its altitude I guessed roughly at twenty degrees. The 

 appearance of the tail was totally unlike either of the illustra- 

 tions in the Illustrated London News, — it had rather the ap- 

 pearance of a compact sheet of flame thrown behind by the 

 rapidity of the motion, commencing with the diameter of the 

 head and tapering to a point at the extremity : — in fact just 

 such as would be produced by throwing an ignited tow-ball 

 into the air. I saw no fragments or sparks thrown off in its 

 course, or anything like bursting at its disappearance; it seemed 

 to me simply to go out, and that instantaneously. I heard no 

 explosion or noise of any kind. The time of its occurrence I 

 made about 10^ 41™ 30^ p.m. Greenwich time, and I can 

 speak pretty confidently within about half a minute, but not 

 nearer. The whole duration of the phaenomenon was pro- 

 bably between 2 and 3 seconds ; the part of its course v/hich 

 I actually saw (from N.N.W. to about north by east) may 

 have occupied half that time. The whole of the sky visible 

 from the window at which I stood was free from cloud, ex- 

 cept a few slight streaks of haze radiating from a point in 

 N.E. I am not sure that these may not have been auroral 

 streaks. The appearance over the north horizon was clearly 

 auroral and not haze, for a Lyrse shone brightly through the 

 thickest of it." 



At my request Mr. Burder took the trouble to measure the 

 height of its apparent elevation, as well as he could call it to 

 mind. The following is a copy of his second letter: — 



" Having at hand a quadrant which I am in the habit of 

 using, attached to a small telescope, I thought it unnecessary 

 to put in practice the suggestions you offer for ascertaining 

 the altitude of the meteor. I therefore adopted the following 

 plan for recalling, as accurately as possible, the original im- 

 pression. This evening, the sky being clear, I stationed my- 

 self in precisely the same position that I occupied when I saw 

 the meteor, and at the same hour, and endeavoured to trace, 

 as near as possible, from recollection its course in the heavens. 

 In this I was assisted by the stars, having observed at the time, 

 in a general way, its position in relation to the principal stars 

 in the neighbourhood. I then fixed upon a star which seemed 

 to the best of my judgement to correspond in altitude with the 

 point at which the meteor disappeared, and directing the te- 

 lescope thereto, found the altitude to be about 23°. 



" 1 think therefore if I say that it disappeared at that altitude 

 and at a point in the azimuth about 10° east of north, I shall 

 not be very far wrong." 



