520 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [ANNO 1784. 



beginning of the shadow at 9 h 45 m 35 s , rather doubtful. Total darkness judged 

 at 10 h 4() m 34 s . The moon seems beginning to emerge at 12 h 23 m ; the emer- 

 sion certainly begun at 12 1 ' 25 m . At 13 h 25 m 38 s the shadow quitted the moon, 

 between Langrenus and M. Crisium. 



6. The next was a transit of mercury over the sun's disc, <3 Nov. 12, 1782 : 

 observed with the same telescope, and a power of 75 times. The aperture re- 

 duced to 2 inches. At 2 h 5I m 4Q S , ap. t. the first impression observed. It could 

 not be 2 s sooner. At 2 h 54 m 57 s the thread of light completed; but seen through 

 clouds. The planet seemed to hang on the sun's limb 30 5 at least. At 4 h 6 m s 

 through a break in the clouds, of short duration, $s seemed to have quitted the 

 sun ; but indeed the clouds were very unfavourable the whole time. 



7. Occultation of Saturn by the moon, h, Feb. 18, 1775: observed with the 

 same telescope. At Q h 6 m 9 s the preceding limb of the planet immersed. 



Several occultations of fixed stars, and eclipses of Jupiter's satellites were also 

 observed. 



XVIII. An Account of some late fiery Meteors ; with Observations. By Chas. 

 Blagden, M.D. Sec. R.S. p. 201. 



This account respects chiefly the two most remarkable of the meteors that had 

 lately appeared , and is founded partly on private communications, and partly on 

 such accounts as were published in the newspapers. These meteors were of the 

 kind known to the ancients by the names of Aoc^xSk;, iLfloi, Bolides, Faces, 

 Globi, &c. from particular differences in their shape and appearance, and some- 

 times, it seems, under the general term of comets ; in the Philos. Trans, they 

 are called indiscriminately fire-balls or fiery meteors; and names of a similar im- 

 port have been applied to them in the different languages of Europe. The most 

 material circumstances observed of such meteors may be brought under the fol- 

 lowing heads. 1. Their general appearance. 2. Their path. 3. Their shape 

 or figure. 4. Their light and colours. 5. Their height. 6. Their noise. 

 7. Their size. 8. Their duration. Q. Their velocity. 



Dr. B. begins with the first of these meteors, which was seen Aug. 18, 1783. 



§ 1. Its general appearance in these parts of Great Britain was that of a lumi- 

 nous ball, which rose in the n.n.w. nearly round, became elliptical and gradually 

 assumed a tail as it ascended, and in a certain part of its course seemed to under- 

 go a remarkable change compared to bursting ; after which it proceeded no longer 

 as an entire mass, but was apparently divided into a great number or a cluster of 

 balls, some larger than the others, and all carrying a tail or leaving a train behind; 

 under this form it continued its course with a nearly equable motion, dropping or 

 casting off sparks, and yielding a prodigious light, which illuminated all objects 

 to a surprising degree ; till having passed the east, and verging considerably td 



