Observations on two late Meteors. 187 
were moving on, followed and surrounded by flame. It was 
in size very much less than the moon, as the others descri- 
bed it, about one third in diameter. The spot of vanishing 
S. 50 W. and S. 60 W., at an altitude of 23°. Its form was 
not regular, hut approaching to round, and its apparent 
magnitude much less than the moon’s. Its colour was white, 
tinged with blue. Throughout its course it threw off sparks, 
and was followed by a train a few degrees in length. the 
end of its course it exploded and threw off parts which were 
seen to fall*. The sound of the explosion reached the ear in 
4 minutes 25 seconds after the vanishing of the meteor, The 
same body was seen north of Boston and as far as- Vermont. 
Its whole course occupied about 5 seconds. 
From interval between the explosion and the 
and from the suddenness of the passage, it is obvious that 60 
miles from the observer would lie but little beyond its distance 
at the moment of explosion, and that 24 miles a second, 
would not exceed its velocity. Its nearest distance to the 
earth’s surface may have been within 30 miles, or even less. 
As to its magnitude, no very definite conclusions can be 
ade. Those which have usually been given, in such cases, 
as amounting to. probability, have doubtless exceeded the 
truth. They would have applied more correct. the size 
of the body and the surrounding flame ; at least, these re- 
marks will apply to those which, like the one under consider- 
ation, do not indicate, by the regularity of their outline, a 
process merely of ignition. How often this case has occur- 
red, the writer does not know. The universal attendance of 
a train brilliant and long, and sometimes of one which re- 
mains after the body is gone from sight, is a strong arg 
ment, in all cases, for a flaming medium around the mass of 
% ‘ ic stones which have fall- 
en Sse any i came on ze New-York. vin New -Jersey, or, possibly, 
in Long-Island Sound. ; 
