110 ' REPORT—1850. 
at Durham, by Mr. Carrington, 30 seconds; at St. Andrews, 15 seconds ac- 
cording to one observer, and 18 to 21 seconds according to another; at 
Johnshaven, 3ths of a minute. The hour of the appearance of the meteor, 
in most of the descriptions, is stated at between 55 10™ and 5® 16™, 
The are of the horizon which it was seen to traverse depended, of course, 
- on the point where the meteor first caught the observer’s eye. At Granton, 
it was traced by Professor Kelland through 125° of azimuth; at Perth, 130°; 
at St. Andrews, 74°; at Edinburgh, 76°; at Durham, 65°; at Glasgow, from 
60° to 705. The division of the head or nucleus into several parts, and, first» 
of all (in most cases), into éwo, has been noticed with remarkably slight 
variation ; consequently, the explosion of the meteor marks a well-determined 
point in its path, The separation was specially noticed at Edinburgh, Gran- 
ton, Glasgow, Renfrew, Melrose, Haddington, Johnshaven, Perth, Durham 
and St. Andrews. 
In a majority of cases a luminous train was observed; and I am confident 
that the existence of this train, which has been estimated from 2° to 3° long, 
cannot be questioned. Dr. Adamson, however, especially remarked that no 
train was to be seen at St. Andrews. 
On revising the whole accounts, it does not appear that any of them 
ean be relied upon for ascertaining the position of the meteor in space, 
except the observations of Mr. Carrington of the Durham Observatory ; of 
Professor Kelland, Mr. Stirling and myself, at Edinburgh ; of Dr. Adamson 
and another observer, communicated by Professor Fischer of St. Andrews ; 
of a young gentleman at Perth, communicated by Thomas Miller, Esq., Ree- 
tor of the Perth Academy; and of A. D. Stevenson, Esq., and W. Gourlie, 
Esq., jun., at Glasgow. My inquiries were chiefly directed to the two fol- 
lowing points; first, the angular elevation of the meteor in the N.W. quarter 
of the heavens, where it is admitted by all that its path appeared almost ho- 
rizontal ; secondly, to the bearing of the meteor at the instant of explosion. 
At Durham, Mr. Carrington saw the meteor first when the bearing was 
true N.W., the altitude (by theodolite) was then 10°, or not exceeding 11°; 
when it burst, it was due N. (true), and continued to move 10° or 12° further 
before it disappeared. Professor Chevallier, who obligingly communicated 
these results, states that the meteor appeared rather to rise as it approached 
the north, but witha doubt. This supposition, however, appears inadmissible, 
from the unanimity of the other accounts. 
At Granton, near Edinburgh, Professor Kelland caught sight of the 
meteor a little to the N. of the moon, and several diameters below it. This 
corresponds, by after estimation, with a theodolite, to 75. W. of magnetic 
N., and an altitude of 12°. Professor Kelland thinks that it rather rose after- 
wards. It split into two at 20° E. of magnetic N., having then an altitude of 
only 5°; it continued for a considerable time bright, then began to fade, as 
if by the effect of distance, and also to separate into several parts; it was 
finally lost sight of 50° E. of magnetic N. (this bearing is well-ascertained), 
with an altitude estimated at only half a degree. The position and cireum- 
stances of these observations, made at an elevated station above the Frith of 
Forth, were eminently favourable. 
Mr. J. Stirling, civil engineer, looking up North Hanover Street, Edin- 
burgh, saw the meteor separate into two parts; the bearing he afterwards 
estimated at 25° E. of magnetic N. (the probable error not exceeding 1°), 
and the altitude at 8° 30’, certainly not exceeding 9°. 
I think we may conclude, that at Edinburgh the meteor attained a maxi- 
mum elevation of 15° (that mentioned in the commencement of this paper), 
since it no doubt rose after Professor Kelland first saw it to the S. of the true 
