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A CATALOGUE OF OBSERVATIONS OF LUMINOUS METEORS. 47 

4 
j the meteors were produced backwards they would nearly all meet at a point 
_ situated to the east of Alpha Cygni, and on the 10th were near the star Alpha. 
The number of stars seen this year on August 10th was about eighty, the 
sky being clear for an hour, from shortly before 10 o'clock to near 11 o'clock. 
Fifty-five of these had their paths and other features recorded here ; out of 
this number the following are those noticed proceeding from the direction of 
these two points of divergence :— 
From Cygnus ...... 23 
. From Cassiopeia .... 26 
_ Discordant. ........ 6 
55 
In 1848. 
From Cygnus ...... 5 
From Cassiopeia .... 8 
[3 
The two following letters to Prof. Powell will further illustrate this point. 
“¢ My dear Sir,—The opinion that falling stars diverge from a given point 
at two periods of the year, viz. August the 10th and November the 11th, is 
generally believed, but I have seen no hint that they do so at other times ; 
that they nearly all do I feel perfectly persuaded. From numerous observa- 
tions on the 20th and 21st of this month, I find they diverge from about the 
centre of the constellation Cygnus ; last night (July 23rd), which was particu- 
larly rich ‘in falling stars, gave a position slightly different, viz. ¢ Cygni for 
_the mean point from which they diverged ; if this point was more attended to, 
in all probability we should soon have sufficient data to enable us to give at 
all events a rough element. From a few observations during June, this point 
would seem to be in Draco, in beginning of May in Bootis, and in April in 
‘Canes Venatici. The meteors were few in number in April, May and June, 
but are now each night becoming much more numerous. 
“The tail, as it is called, of meteors is apparently of two kinds, the one a 
continuous streak of light, and the other individual sparks; this does not 
seem to be owing to the speed with which they move, for I have frequently 
seen each appearance, whether the meteor was moving rapidly or slowly. 
“ Believe me yours very truly, 
“ Highfield House Observatory, near Nottingham, “ EpwARD JosEPH Lowe.” 
July 24, 1849.” 
“July 28, 1849. 
« My dear Sir,—Out of the nine observations on the 26th of July, six gave 
a point of divergence slightly below p Cygni. Some of the observations last 
night gave a position rather lower in the Swan. It is pretty evident there is 
a point of divergence, and that this point is now situated in the Swan, for 
each night produces more examples of meteors coming from that direction. 
: “ Believe me yours very truly, 
“EDWARD JosEPH Lowe.” 
in 1842, Prof. Phillips noticed many meteors came from the direction of 
Cassiopeia, and in 1848 the Rev. C. Marriott at Bradfield again noticed this 
feature in one instance. . 
_ It seems quite evident that the greater portion of these bodies move in 
lines parallel to each other; foras proof that the point of divergence is merely 
owing to perspective, the greater number of stars to the S. and S.E. of us 
move towards S. and SS,W., whilst those to W. and N.W. move towards W. 
and W.S.W. This was very evident on the 10th of August this year, for a 
great number which occurred in Pegasus all moved to S. and SS.W., whereas 
