Meteoric Shower of November, 1837. 391 
head of Capricornus, we could discern a luminous pyramid less 
bright than the milky way, but still sufficiently distinct to say it was 
there, its upper edge grazing Alpha Capricorni, and the vertex 
reaching to the right shoulder of Aquarius. Its light was very 
feeble and diffuse, but the triangular space between it and the milky 
way, embracing the Dolphin, was perceptibly darker. 
On the 26th of November, the moon being away, I looked for 
the Zodiacal Light again in the morning sky, and was surprised to 
see it so bright,—much brighter I think than it has appeared for the 
several preceding years when I have watched it after the 13th of 
November. It was now, therefore, visible on both sides of the sun, 
having an elongation from that luminary, in the region of the eclip- 
tic, of 60° in the morning and 90° in the evening sky. From this 
time I could hardly discern any change of place in it in the morn- 
ing, reaching uniformly to near 7 Virginis, nor any perceptible dimi- 
nution of brightness until December 5th, when the brightness evi- 
dently began to decline, and on the 9th (the last time I saw it in 
the east) the light was comparatively feeble, until just before day, 
although its visible dimensions were nearly as great as for some days 
before. 
In the evening sky, meanwhile, the Zodiacal Light increased rap- 
idly in brightness, and advanced along the ecliptic faster than the 
sun. On the 2d of December, after the moon was set, it could 
be seen, rising to the meridian, at an elongation from the sun of 
not less than 120°, while its elongation on the other side of the sun 
was nearly 60°. Its entire dimensions had therefore expanded 
since November 26th, being now 180° in length, while it was then | 
only 150°. At the present time (December 12th) the moon pre- 
vents observations both morning and evening. Were it not for Ve- 
nus, (now of a dazzling splendor,) my previous observations would 
lead me to expect to see it become shortly very conspicuous in the 
west, while in a few days it would cease entirely to be seen in 
the east. Does not this great and sudden expansion, covering 
at the same time both sides of the sun, indicate something of the 
nature of an inferior conjunction? And would not such a position 
result, from the change of position which the earth would take with 
respect to a nebulous body of great extent, lying over the earth’s 
orbit, through the skirts of which the earth passed on the 13th of 
November, but, moving more rapidly than that body, throwing the 
sun behind it, as seen in perspective? My meaning, perhaps, will 
be better comprehended by a diagram. 
