
A CATALOGUE OF OBSERVATIONS OF LUMINOUS METEORS, 49 
In the 55 falling stars 8 became first visible in Pegasus, 8 in Cygnus, 6 in 
Andromeda, 5 in Ursa Minor, 4 in Delphinus, 4 in Cassiopeia, 3 in Antinous 
and Ursa Major, 2 in Aquila, Aquarius, Lyra, Corona Borealis and Cepheus, 
and 1 in Pisces, Bootes, Perseus and Camelopardalis. Of these 8 became 
extinguished in Draco and 8 in Pegasus, 6 in Antinous, 4 in Pisces, 3 in 
Cygnus, Aquarius, Lyra and Bootes, 2 in Sagitta, Cassiopeia, Ursa Major 
and Perseus, and ] in Andromeda, Delphinus, Ursa Minor, Coma, Berenices, 
Serpens, Capricornus, Hercules, Camelopardalis and Triangulum. 
It is pretty evident that the meteors were nearer us on the 10th of August 
very considerably than on the 16th, as on the latter day, although a few tole- 
rably sized ones were seen, yet the great majority were meteors very brilliant 
for their size, which was smaller than the smallest stars that could be discerned 
by the unassisted eye. 
(5.) It is acurious fact, that when a falling star is seen to follow another in 
the same track, it invariably moves at an equal speed with the one which had 
gone before, z.e. if the first moved rapidly the second would do so also, and if 
slowly the second would move slowly. The second star I have never as yet 
seen larger than the first; and generally there has been a considerable differ- 
ence in apparent size, from the circumstance of the follower of a falling star 
in the same track partaking of the speed of that which has gone before, and 
that generally the respective bulks are very different; it might be supposed 
that the smaller one was an attendant or satellite of the larger one; if this be 
the case, the meteor that fell at 10° 17™ was accompanied by two satellites ; 
this strengthens the opinion very much of their being material bodies. 
On the other hand, if we consider them as shining by reflected light, it is 
difficult to account for the duminous streak which is often left in the sky 
after the head of a meteor has itself vanished, and also why a meteor having 
@ continuous ray of light, if it cross an auroral arch or beam, instantly 
brightens, a circumstance exceedingly curious and at the same time very 
apparent: the phenomenon has been noticed here four times, viz. December 
3, 1845, September 10, 1846, June 21, 1847, February 20, 1818. b 
As there are several difficulties attending this phenomenon if we account 
for them all with one theory or consider them all to be similar in formation, 
_ T have ventured to suggest three classes :— 
Ist. Those with luminous streaks. 
2nd. Those with separate stars, and those without any appendage. 
3rd. Those large bodies with well-defined discs. 
The Ist class may shine by inherent light or be surrounded by a luminous 
atmosphere; the 2nd class by reflected light, as described by Sir John 
Lubbock ; and the 3rd class may be purely atmospherical; as this kind nearly 
always move in paths discordant to the direction of the other meteors, they 
are not always spherical, and sometimes change their form: I have seen them 
alter their colour from blue to red, and in one instance saw a meteor of a blue 
colour give out orange-red sparks. Mr. Hind tells me he saw a green meteor 
turn to a crimson colour. 
I have made numerous inquiries, but could never find any one, excepting 
Mr. Hind, who had seen meteors move slowly across the field of a large tele- 
scope; he describes them as appearing better defined than stars, which they 
resemble, but the time of visibility was too short to allow of a planetary disc 
a a discovered ; the fragments or streamers appeared like phosphoric 
lights. 
1849, E 
