



JIETEOR OF THE EVENING OF SUNDAY, NOV. 13, 1803. SMALLER BALLS TINGED WITH 

 YELLOW, ORANGK, AND PURPLE. ABOUT A SECOND AND A HALF PREVIOUS TO 

 ITS DISAPPEARANCE IT ASSUMED THE SHAPE OF AN EGG. Phil. Mag., Vol. XVii. 



METEORIC STONES & SHOOTING STARS. 



CHAPTEE II. 



1. Encke's calculation of the direction of the shooting-stars seen from 1833 

 to 1838. 2. Apparent magnitudes of those objects. 3. The luminous 

 train which follows them not an optical illusion. 4. Hypotheses to 

 explain them. 5. Heights, directions, and velocity of shooting-stars, 

 calculated by Brandes. 6. A like calculation by Quetelet. 7. A like 

 calculation by Wartmann. 8. Shooting-stars and fire-balls identical. 

 9. Lunar origin rejected. 10. Eeceived explanation of the pheno- 

 mena. 11. Difficulties and objections. 12. Description of great 

 shower of stars witnessed in 1799 by Humboldt and Bonpland. 

 13. Description of like showers in 1833-40. 14. August meteors. 

 15. Halley suggests the use of these meteors to determine the 

 longitude. 16. Table of shooting-stars from 763 to 1837. 17. Infer- 

 ences from this. 18. Observation of Sir J. Herschel in 1836. 19. Of 

 Wartmann in 1837. 20. Of Tharand in 1832. 21. Annual epochs 

 of the prevalence of these meteors. 22. "Why those masses are not 

 visible like the moon and planets by the reflected light of the sun. 

 23. Zodiacal light. 24. The nebulous matter producing it may 

 cause shooting-stars. 25. Shooting-stars may become satellites to the 

 earth. 26. M. Petit claims to have discovered one. 27. Sun-stones. 



LARDXER'S MUSEUM OP SCIENCE. 

 No. 11. 



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