A^CtV^N-r OFTHE METEdRBEBK ns .CbNSECTICtJT. gjy 



which would make its velocl^ about Qg- miles per second, and iuveloci- 

 bv both observations. In a similar manner the distance, , i,« 



passed over, whjlo vi-^ible at Wenham, was about 52^ miles, ,^^^ 



and if the duration of its appearance was 30 seconds, as ^_^^ 



Mr»i Gardner estimated if," the velocity corresponding 



would be II ^ miles per second ; this would have been more ' , 



than doubled if the extrtme azimuths at Wenham had beea - - 



made use of without correfction. From these results it ap- 

 pears probable that the velocity of the meteor exceeded 3 

 miles per second* We may form an idea of the greatness of 



this velocity, by observing that it is fourteen times as swrft " 



as the motion of sound, and nearly as great; as that of a >n ':o p>-,ii.'-^- 



satellite revolving about the Earth at the, Sfinjp distaticei "" 



and if a body were projected in a vertical direction with 



about double the velocity (the air bein^ supposed not to 



resist) it would proceed beyond the sphere of th^, Eafth's trfjio^I <ji b"* 



attraction. \ 



In estimating the magnitude of the Body from the pr^- Its magnitude* 

 sent observations, no very accurate result is, to be expected, 

 since the apparent diameter was not exactly measured by 

 any of the observers. The observations that were made 

 serve however to prove, that the body was miTch larger, 

 than the whole mass of stones that fell near WestoriTas will 

 be evident from the following- calculations, Mr, Page sup- 

 posed the apparent diameter of the body to be about one 

 quarter part of that of the uioon, or about 8'. The great- 

 est observed distance of the meteor frorn B-utland was J62 

 miles, the least 57 mil^s. The diameter of the meteor 

 corresponding to those distances and the angle 8' are nearly- 

 ^ and 4^ of a mile ; and, by this observation, the real dia,- 

 meter of the meteor must fall between those limits. Judge; 

 Wheeler supposed the apparent dianieter to be half or two- 

 thirds of that of the moon, or between l6' and 2i', Thei 

 least distance of tlie meteor from Weston was 20 miles, the - 

 greateft 1 13 miles. The least diameter corresponding to the 

 distance of 20 miles and angle l6' is -^V ^^ a mile, or rather .> w^sj-i^q ••wq'. 

 491 feet; the greatest diameter, corresponi^.ing to the disrv? «jj td'w* 

 tance 113 miles, and angle 24' is nearly |; of a 19)1 e^ ^tlj^^^, 

 the limits furnished by this observation are nearly ^V and ^^ 

 of a mile. Mrs, Gardner supposed the diameter to be 



eqnal 



