368 Meteoric Shower of November, 1838. 
little bodies doubtless reflect the sun’s light, but-in consequence 
of their minuteness, they are rarely, if ever, seen ‘in this way. 
There is however room-to hope, that they may be occasionally 
detected by powerful telescopes, while moving in their celestial 
paths, across the sun’s-disk. The discovery by Pastorff, in this 
mode (Bib. Univ. de Geneéve, 1835, t. 58, p. 434) of two or more 
new asteroids, and the previous observations of Gautier and Mess- 
ier, induce the belief, that similar investigations hereafter will re- 
veal oe results. 
I en conjectured, that shooting stars proceed from the 
aeaunan appearance, long known and little understood, called the 
Zodiacal Light. It may therefore not be irrelevant to advert to 
the fact, that the earth is in a situation more favorable for collis- 
ion with this beds early i in December, than in the middle of 
November. 
- An account of the progress of Shoot ery concerning the meteo- 
ric season of August, together with some additional observations 
on the meteors of scan 9—11, 1838, are ick for want of 
room. 
New Hever December 24, 1838. . 
pe XX.—On the. Siac Shower of November, 1838 ; by 
Denison Otmstep, Professor of sari ey ona ‘Astroiie 
a in Yale ee 
rn FI cm ts were made at Yale Dalleoo; by.anum- 
ber mo young peace of the senior class, in conjunction with 
myself, to-watch the heavens on the night of the 12th and 13th 
November, with the view of ascertaining whether the meteorie - 
shower which has oceurred, to a greater or less extent, at this 
date, for several years past, would be repeated the present year. 
The night. was unfavorable for observation; still, occasional. 
glimpses of clear sky, were seen at different Gust — the night, 
sufficient to have recognized the phenomenon, had it occurred in 
a manner corresponding to the exhibitions of former years. Al- 
though a few meteors were seen, yet we adopted the conclusion, 
that, at this place, there.was no extraordinary appearance of 
shooting stars on the morning of the 13th November. On the 
following morning, Nov. 14, shooting stars were more frequent; 
= we did not feel authori ized from our aseacraig to —— 
