1879.] ^45 [Kirkwood. 



this shadow Mr. Walton estimated the greatest altitude of the meteor at 

 about 45°. The explosion was not heard at Cheboygan.* 



The preceding observations indicate that the meteor's course was ap- 

 proximately N. E. by N., and that it first became visible over a point not 

 far from Lat. 44° 25' N , Long. 9' 0' W. The distance from Traverse city 

 to the point at which meteoric matter is said to have fallen is about 42 

 miles. But the interval of four minutes between the observed explosion 

 and the report corresponds to a distance of about 49 miles. This would 

 make the point of explosion 26 miles above the earth's surface. The height 

 at first appearance, if we can rely upon the rather uncertain estimate of 

 Mr. Walton, at Cheboygan, must have been nearly 100 miles. The true 

 length of the visible track was about 124 miles, and the length of its pro- 

 jection on the earth's surface, 66 miles. The time of flight is very uncer- 

 tain, though the observations indicate a rather slow motion. 



(9.) 1879, February 3, lib. 30m., p. m. Indianapolis time. — This meteor 

 is thus described by a correspondent of the Iudianapolis Daily News for 

 February 7 : 



"Raysville [Henry County], Indiana, February 4, 1879. Last night be- 

 tween 11 and 12 o'clock was seen, by a few citizens of this place, one of the 

 largest and most brilliant meteors ever observed in this section. It was 

 larger than the one seen in December, 1876, but did not last so long, being 

 but a few seconds in view. It apparently rose from the eastern horizon, 

 and advanced rapidly, marking its path by a stream of flame until it had 

 almost reached the zenith, when it exploded with a dull but plainly audi- 

 ble report, The different parts shot earthward in various directions, but the 

 lights of all were extinguished before they had gone very far." 



(10.) 1879, February 17, 8h. 0m., p. m., Chicago time. — This meteor 

 was observed by C. A. Kenoston, Professor of Mathematics and xVstronomy 

 in Ripon College, Wisconsin. It was first seen in the West at an altitude 

 of about 30°. It moved slowly along the line of the two southern stars 

 in the square of Pegasus and disappeared near the horizon without any 

 audible explosion. It was very bright — increasingly so— and seemed to 

 have a short tail, f 



(11.) 1879, February 20, 10b 45m., p. m. — This meteor was seen at 

 Henryville, Clark County, Indiana, by Mr. Benjamin Vail. A brilliant 

 train remained visible nearly a minute after the meteor itself had disap- 

 peared.^: 



(12.) 1879, March 15, 3h. 53m., a. m.— This meteor was observed by a 

 number of persons at Washington, Daviess County, Indiana. When 

 first seen it was S. 10° W., at an altitude of 25°. It moved westward 20' 

 and then burst into many fragments. The meteor was of a pale bluish 

 color, but when it exploded it lighted up everything almost like daylight. 



* Letter from C. S. Ramsay, Esq., to Mr. T. T. Bates. 

 t Letter from Prof. Kenoston. 



J Thus briefly referred to in a letter from Mr. Vail. No further description 

 was given. 



