^98 Bowditch on the Meteor tvJiicIi passed over Wilmington 



ligence who was in Baltimore at that time, and had a perfect view 

 of it through its whole course, are as follow. 



The first appearance was at 3''- 55' P. M. position N. E. alti- 

 tude 45°; Its course was south, inclining west ; or perhaps S. W, 

 arch passed over ahout 75^ At the time of its disappearance 

 its position was S. E. altitude 25°. When first seen, it ap- 



peared for a moment stationary : but 



^y 



in rapid motion, wliicli seemed to increase, though very little 



till it burst. Its size was half the diameter of the moon. 

 Colour of a brilliant lustre, like the star Sirius, without any red- 

 dish a2)pearance. A moment before it disappeared, a lucid ring 

 separated itself from the body of the meteor, and became as large 

 as the moon. The body of the meteor within the ring was not 

 diminished, but changed to a reddish colour. But this appear- 

 ance of the ring was almost instantaneous at the moment the whole 

 disappeared. No tail was seen, and it looked, through its whole 

 course, precisely like an uncommonly large star. It was so brill- 

 iant as to throw a strong light into the windows of houses in the 



The time of its whole visible course w^as 



mor 



half a minute. No explosion was heard in Baltimore : but a sen- 



tleman who was at that time in Kent County informed me the 



explosion was like the rumbling of a wagon over a smooth hard 

 road. 



The following accounts were also published in the newspapers 

 at Baltimore. " A very luminous meteor passed over the ci 

 Nov. SI, 1819, in the evening about half past six o'clock. Its 

 course was from N. E. towards S. W. Its apparent size increas- 

 ed as It approached, till it appeared nearly as large as the moon, 

 when it exploded. The light it diffused was equal to that of 

 strong lightoing."— " A gentleman who resides a few miles N. E. 



