On the Meteors of 13fA November, 1833. 343 



The Middletown azimuth appears to have been certainly north of 

 the western point. In fig. 1, the foot of the vertical is placed south of 

 that azimuth, and as little north of the due west (only l£°) as could 

 possibly be admitted. Again, the height in that vertical is settled, to 

 a certainty, by the circumstances of Prof. Olmsted's observation at 

 N. Haven, and Lieut. Cram's at West Point, to have been, to say 

 the least, not far aboveihe height fixed upon in the diagram. From 

 these considerations combined, it seems to be certain, that the zenith 

 distance at Brookfield, which Mr. Tomlinson estimated to be 10°, 

 was in truth as much as 13°; and if the meteor's path was, in fact, 

 exactly centered in the zenith it must, instead of "20° at least," as 

 estimated by Mr. Tomlinson, have been 26°, as estimated by a sec- 

 ond observer in the same place. But, as the eye cannot be con- 

 sidered competent to detect a variation of less than 3°, we prefer to 

 suppose the southern zenith distance to have been but 10° — which 

 was considered by Mr. Tomlinson, after his actual measurement, 

 spoken of before, the least supposable angular distance. 



The obliquity of the meteor's path is determined equally by the 

 known zenith distance of the radiant (22°) and the Kent observa- 

 tion, which co-incides with it. The intersection of this path with the 

 Brookfield back line takes place in a vertical, shown in position, in 

 fig. 1, by the star south of Brookfield ; and at a height, above the sur- 

 face, of 80.40 miles. The same height, by the Middletown observed 

 arc, would be 73.80 miles; and by the New Haven minimum arc, 

 which is the one made use of in constructing the figure, it would be 

 but 64.75 miles : the New Haven maximum observation however, 

 had that been adopted, would have mounted beyond the Brookfield 

 altitude, which we have relied upon, as correct. — In accordance 

 with these principles the meteor's visible path was 55 miles; which 

 must be near the truth. As there is no reason to suppose this me- 

 teor to have been luminous before its entrance into the atmosphere, 

 we see, in these facts, a presumption that the atmosphere itself must 



have its limit much higher than is generally supposed. Our calcu- 

 lations may suggest to philosophers the propriety of attempting a de- 

 termination of the atmospheric elevation, by means of the upper 

 extremity of what are called "shooting stars", which certainly seem 

 to bear a close affinity to the meteors of Nov. 13th, and which are so 

 common that observers, at the distance of several miles, might by mu- 

 tual arrangements for observation upon almost any clear evening obtain 

 the data for accurate calculations. As to the cloud — its path, which 



