VOL. XII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 389 



Of an unusual Meteor. By Dr. fVallis. N° 135, p. 863. 



Sir, — I know not whether in your transactions you have any where taken 

 notice of that unusual meteor, which happened on Wednesday Sept. 20th, 

 1676, about 7 o'clock at night, or soon after; which, though it seemed very 

 low, was seen in most parts of England much at the same time, and much in 

 the same manner. I hear of it from divers persons who saw it in Oxford, 

 Northamptonshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Somersetshire, Hamp- 

 shire, Kent, Essex, London, &c. Some here call it a draco volars. I have 

 sometimes been fancying it might be higher than they imagined, only casting 

 a light so low. And if I had heard any thing from it abroad, should have 

 inclined to think it a comet, passing swiftly by us, very near the earth, even 

 through our air. But if it had been so, it must be a very small one, otherwise 

 we should have heard more of it. 



In the dusk of that evening, there appeared a sudden light, equal to that 

 of noon-day ; so that the smallest pin or straw might be seen lying on the 

 ground. And above in the air was seen, at no great distance as was supposed, 

 a long appearance as of fire ; like a long arm, with a great knob at the end of 

 it, shooting along very swiftly : and, at its disappearing, seemed to break into 

 small sparks or parcels of fire, like as rockets and such artificial fire-works in 

 the air usually do. It was so surprising and of so short continuance, that it 

 was scarcely seen by any who did not then happen to be abroad : its duration, 

 by report, less than half a minute. It seems surprising that it was seen in most 

 parts of England, and at or near the same time : which argues, that either it 

 was higher than the observers imagined, or else that it had a very swift motion. 

 This made me conjecture that it might be some small comet, whose linea tra- 

 jectoria passed very near our earth, or upon it. That comet which has.now 

 appeared, in this and the last month, confirms me in the same opinion ; which 

 I conjecture may be the very same which passed by us in September last. 

 Which way its motion was when near us, I cannot conclude, so as to satisfy 

 myself. For most that saw it, being suddenly surprized, took little more 

 notice of it, than that it suddenly appeared and was suddenly gone, but saw it 

 so little time as scarcely to mark which way. My conjecture on the whole, 

 though perhaps but a conjecture, has at least so much of probability in it, as 

 to deserve some consideration : and may serve, if true, to give us some light 

 into the nature of comets ; which perhaps will seldom have been found to come 

 so near us, as this seems to have done. 



