THE EARTH IN METEORIC SHADOW. 163 



explain these streamers as formed of matter extending 

 outwards from the sun as from a centre. 



Mr. Cleveland Abbe, himself, came very quickly to 

 the conclusion that these objects were meteor systems. 

 ' Meteor streams ! ' he said, ' there is the key to the 

 solution: not such meteors as some suppose to be 

 falling into the sun daily, but the grand streams of 

 meteors that cause the numerous shooting stars of 

 August and November, and of the existence of which 

 there is indubitable proof. These streams consist of 

 fine particles or pieces, each a long way from its neigh- 

 bour, but all rushing along in parallel orbits about the 

 sun (that is, all belonging to any given system) like 

 the falling drops of rain in a thunder-shower. Such a 

 stream as the August meteor system, when far beyond 

 the sun, but still lighted up by it, would reflect to us 

 a faint uniform light precisely like that of these rays. 

 If one end of the stream were further from us than the 

 other, the effect of the perspective would be to produce 

 a tapering or wedge-shaped appearance. In some other 

 part of our orbit, or with the meteor stream in some 

 other part of its orbit, the perspective might vanish 

 and the two ends appear of the same width. In this 

 way,' Mr. Abbe proceeds, ' we shall undoubtedly be able 

 to explain the very numerous historical and memorable 

 occasions on which flaming coronas, swords, comets, &c., 

 seen in the sky during a total eclipse, have been 

 regarded by the superstitious as divine omens.' 



Now here it must be noted that while all this 

 may be true of some meteor systems, it is assuredly 



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