THE NOVEMBER METEORS. 103 



nothing unusual was seen ; but along the eastern coast of America, 

 from the Gulf of Mexico to Halifax, the shower was well 

 observed, and the rising sun could not blot out all traces of the 

 phenomenon, for large meteors were seen now and then in full 

 daylight. Tha meteors were most frequent at about five in the 

 morning, November i3th, when the number falling was con- 

 sidered to equal one half the flakes filling the air during an 

 ordinary snowstorm. One observer estimated that during the 

 two hours from four o'clock to six o'clock, about 1,000 meteors 

 per minute might have been counted. Within the scope of the 

 eye more than 20 could be seen at a time shooting in every 

 direction. Not a cloud obscured the broad expanse, and 

 countless numbers sped their way across it in every direction. 

 Their coruscations were bright, gleamy, and incessant, and they 

 fell thick as the flakes in the early snows of December. One was 

 seen which left a path of light, clearly discernible for more than 

 ten minutes after the ball had exploded. We may somewhat 

 discount this fervid American description of this marvellous 

 meteoric display ; but similar accounts are on record of observa- 

 tions from the West Indies to Canada. The negroes in Carolina 

 thought the end of the world had arrived. 



During this brilliant display the fact that the meteors radiated 

 from a common centre ki the constellation Leo was distinctly 

 manifested, and the position of this centre was accurately 

 ascertained by Olmsted and Aiken. On November i2th or i3th, 

 in 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, an unusual number of 

 meteors were seen and recorded by skilled and reliable observers. 

 So that the display of 1833 may well be regarded as the period 

 when meteoric astronomy was founded, and observing them 

 might be regarded as an assured part of the science. It was 

 suggested about the same time that myriads of meteors are 

 revolving around the sun, intersecting the orbits of the several 

 planets at all possible angles. This suggestion by Mr. Herrick 

 has been fairly well established, and recognised by all competent 

 astronomers, and will probably be reduced to comparative 

 exactness as time passes. 



