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Shooting Stars of December 7, 1838. 365 
Sit up all night and see if there would not. bea ihenitiil etc 
the unfavorable circumstances their hearts failed them.” 
3. At Hudson, Ohio, clouded skies prevented observation. 
A, From Suuannok, Ga., Mr. 'T. R. Dutton writes: “The en- 
tire night. of the 5th was rainy. On the night of the 6th I made 
occasional observations from my window, (without seeing more 
than 2 or 3 meteors,) between 11h. and 2h. 30m.. when I went 
into the open air.* From 2h. 30m. to 3; I saw 5 meteors, and 
from 3h. 15m. to 3h. 30m., none.. The sky was_ partly covered 
with - broken clouds,- yet not enough so to obscure more than a 
third of the meteors visible ;, but soon after it was entirely over- 
cast. On the evening of the 7th, I made occasional observa- 
tions as before, until 2h. 55m., when I went into the open air. 
During 45 minutes I saw 11 meteors, 4 or 5 of which had trains. 
The sky was partly covered with thin cirrous clouds,—the west- 
ern half, however, ‘afforded a clear field of view. On the night 
of the 8th, I ieee nie from 3h. 25m. to 3h. 55m. and saw _ 
meteors.” 
General Haake! 
From the observations made here; it may safely be concluded 
that for four or five hours, on the evening of the 7th of Decem- 
ber, 1838, shooting stars appeared at the rate of from 125 to 175 
per hour. If we compare this with the average which I had pre- 
viously fixed upon, for this season of the night, (viz. 25 per hour) 
it results, that-on this occasion meteors were about sez times as 
numerous as usual. If we adopt M. Quetelet’s general average, 
of 16 per hour, the number was about nine times the mean. 
More extensive observations will doubtless change both these 
averages. No one can, however doubt that the displays of the 
evenings of the 6th and 7th were quite ‘unusual. For several 
days after this period, meteors were rather more numerous than 
usual, but by the 15th, the meteoric season appeared to be alto- 
gether over. 
It is evident that the position of the radiant was at a great re- 
move from that point in the heavens, towards which the earth 
Was at the time tending; and it is worthy of notice, that in this 
respect, and partially in another, the December display resembles 
that ot August. Inthe November *¢ shower,” the radiant is very 
. : Shooting stars must always be watched in the open air: observ ations through 
a window ean not be trusted. 
