NATURE 



[November 7, 1895 



1868 November 14 a.m. Many meteors seen in England, but 

 the sky much overcast. At Rome, Secchi reported that 2204 

 meteors were counted between 2.30 a.m. and 5.45 a.m. At 

 Toronto, Canada, 2886 meteors appeared between November 

 13 loh. 45m. p.m. and November 14 5h. a.m. 



1869 November 14 a.m. Lieut. -Colonel Tupman, at Port 

 Said, Lower Egypt, counted 136 meteors between 2.30 and 5h. 

 14m. a.m., and they were nearly all Leonids. At Santa Barbara, 

 California, 556 meteors were noted by two observers in 2h. 25m. 

 before 3h. 43m. a.m. 



In 1870 moonlight partly interfered, but it was evident the 

 meteor shower had lost its conspicuous character — a fact fully 

 confirmed by observations in 1871. But it had not entirely dis- 

 appeared, for in the years mentioned, and in those which 

 succeeded, the middle of November always brought some of the 

 swift streak-leaving meteors from the well-known radiant in the 

 sickle of Leo. 



In 1879 and 1888, on the morning of November 14, very dis- 

 tinct showers of Leonids were observed by the writer at Bristol, 

 and in many other years they were also visible. Mr. Corder, at 

 Bridgwater, saw a few Leonids in 1892, and, in 1893, Prof- 

 Barnard, in California, described them as far more abundant 

 than he had ever s een them before. Many very brilliant ones 

 were seen, and they were especially plentiful on the mornings of 

 November 13, 14 and 15. In 1894 moonlight interfered with 

 observations. 



This meteor system evidently forms a complete 

 ellipse, for there seems no reason to doubt that it returns 

 annually without a break. Even in parts of the orbit 

 very far removed from the dense cluster, which seems 

 identical with Tempel's comet (I. 1866), the meteoric 

 particles appear to be pretty numerously distributed, for 

 there were fairly active displays in 1879 and 1888. It is 

 true the shower has not been observed every year, but 

 there is good reason to assume its annual recurrence, and 

 that it would be seen were the nocturnal sky free from 

 clouds and moonlight just at the critical time. 



One of the most important features of a meteor shower 

 is that the flights are directed from a common centre, and 

 no observation of such a shower can be regarded as 

 complete unless the radiant point has been determined. 

 The writer has generally found the radiant of the Leonids 

 very sharply defined, and it admits of being accurately 

 detected even by observers who are inexperienced, for the 

 meteors leave luminous streaks, and these, lingering for 

 one or two seconds, enable the directions to be correctly 

 registered. The Leonid radiant has been frequently 

 obtained, and the following are some of the values given 

 by different observers in various years. 



In addition to these, some good positions are given in 

 the catalogues of radiants by various authorities, thus : — 



November 10-14 ■• 148 +°22 Schmidt. 



,, 7-15 ••• 153 +22 Greg and Herschel 



(1863.) 

 12-13 •■• 148+24 Heis. 

 11-15 ••• 149 +23 Greg (1876). 

 The mean place derived from a large number of 

 positions, agreeing well amongst themselves and indi- 

 vidually fixed by the most trustworthy observers, is at 

 I49°-IS + 22°-9 



This is almost identical with that of the naked eye star 

 Piazzi IX. 230 (mag. 57). the place of which in 1880 was 

 i49°-i + 22''-5 



Relatively to the bright stars forming the sickle of Leo 

 the radiant is situated as in the following diagram : — 



«!•/* 



i^^ 



x^ O 



Xr 



%'i 



Place of the Leonid Radiant amongst the Stars in the Sickle of Leo. 



It is of no utility beginning a watch for Leonids before 

 10.30 p.m., as the radiant does not rise until about that 

 time. It is very rarely that a meteor is seen from a. 

 radiant on or a little below the horizon, but a remarkable 

 Leonid was observed in 1879 November 13, as early 

 as loh. 20m. at three different places, viz. Writtle, 

 Bedford and Bristol. As seen from the latter place, the 

 meteor passed through an arc of 90°, the observed path 

 being from 98^ + 22° to 4" - 1 5°. 



. The interest in this meteor shower is now rapidly 

 increasing, for we are drawing near the period when 

 brilliant returns may be expected. Two years preceding 

 the maximum, as in 1831 and 1864, we may certainly 

 look for rich displays, so that November 1897 will form 

 an important epoch. It is also in the highest degree 

 probable that in 1895 and 1896 the shower will give 

 decided indications of returning activity. This year the 

 conditions will be very favourable, as the moon, being a 

 slender crescent and within a few days of the new, will be 

 unable to make her influence felt. 



The shower of Leonids certainly endures from Novem- 

 ber 9 to 17, but the really brilliant displays only last a 

 few hours, and these at the end of the present century 

 will occur either on the mornings of the 14th or 15th. 

 1896 being leap year, the phenomenon may be expected 

 earlier than usual. The year 1898 offers prospective 

 events of extraordinary interest to the meteoric observer, 

 for two brilliant displays may occur within ten days of 

 each other. The Leonids will be due on November 14, 

 and the Andromedes on November 23. 



As to the nature of the observations necessary during 

 the progress of a meteor shower, it may be suggested 

 that two persons are recjuired to fully note the features 

 presented. One will record the number of meteors 

 appearing during short intervals, say of five minutes, sO' 



