J. Lawrence Smith on Meteorites, 341 
out going into details of the experiment the results will be tabu- 
lated, 
ctual diam Apparent Apparent diam, Apparent diam, 
as seen at 10 in. diam. at :00 yds. at + mile, at 4 mile. 
Carbon points, yo ofan inch, # the diam. moon’s disk, 3 diam. do.do, -3t diam. do.do 
Lime light, xo tide y ts > et the" ee Q 6 Q T4 
Incandes. steel, oy ce’ ee } ce Ot aes «8h 1 igh tha jia “cc 
If then the apparent diameter of a luminous meteor at a given 
distance is to be accepted as a guide for calculating the real size 
of these bodies the 
Charcoal* points would be 80 feet in diam. instead of ,%, of an inch. 
ime 6 “ BO se ts 
The steel globule “ 25 « “ “< Pi «0g 
It is not in place to enter into any explanation of these decep- 
tive appearances, for they are well known facts, and were tried 
in the present form only to give precision to the criticism on the 
Supposed size of these bodies. Comments on them are also un- 
necessary, as they speak for themselves. But to return to the 
two meteorites under review. 
That of Wilton was estimated by Mr. Edward C. Herrick, ( Am. 
Journ. of Science, vol. xxxvii, p. 180) to be about 150 feet in 
diameter. It appeared to increase gradually in size until just before 
the explosion, when it was at its largest apparent magnitude of 
ath the moon’s disk—exploded 25° to 30° above the horizon with 
a heavy report, that was heard about 30 seconds after the explo- 
Sion was seen. One or more of the obervers saw luminous frag- 
Ments descend toward the ground. When it exploded, it was three 
or four miles above the surface of the earth ; immediately after 
the explosion, it was no longer visible. The large size of the 
body is made out of the fact of its appearing one-fourth the ap- 
parent disk of the moon at about six miles distant. After the ex~ 
periments just recorded, and easy of repetition, the uncertainty 
of such a conclusion must be evident ; and it is insisted on as a 
fact easy of demonstration, that a body in a state of ony 
cence, (as the ferruginous portions of a stony meteorite, ) mig 
exhibit the apparent diameter of the Wilton meteorite at six miles 
Istance, and not be more than a few inches or a foot or two in 
diameter according to the intensity of the incandescence.t 
Besides, if that body w ge, where did it go to after 
as so go 7 
throwing off the supposed small fragments? The fragments were | 
’ Esti e of yf ed (Am. Journal of 
* Estimate made according to a table given by Prof. Olmsted ( 
Science, vol. xxvi, p. 155) for estimating the diameter of meteors on comparison with 
the moon. alee 
_t It ought however to be stated, that in 
i this and 
the paper above referred to, Mr. Herrick 
‘essly mentioned es of fallacy, en as far as practica- 
ble ta guard against them, and gave apres careful result as necessarily open to 
= 
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