164 



On the Meteors of \Sth November, 1833 



earth, since, during the eight hours, while the meteoric shower lasted, 



( 



longer,) the earth moved in its orbit 



through the space of nearly 550,000 miles. 



We have seen that the meteors appeared to be analogous, in their 

 constitution, to the material of which the nebulous matter of comets 

 is composed, in all the particulars in which we can compare the two. 

 We may be permitted, therefore, in order to avoid circumlocution, to 

 call the body which afforded the meteoric shower, a comet, while 

 we pursue the inquiry, whether it exhibited the other attributes of 

 that class of bodies. 



The leading circumstances to be accounted for are the following : 

 Why the phenomenon remained so long stationary with respect to the 

 earth ? Why it was seen in that particular part of the heavens ? Why 

 it returns at stated periods, having appeared at Mocha, in Arabia, just 

 one year preceding, and, in a manner very similar to the present, as 

 described by Humboldt, and by Ellicot, thirty-four years before: 



Fig. 5. 



? 



Let van, &c. (fig. 5.) represent the plane of the ecliptic, with 



