A CATALOGUE OF OBSERVATIONS OF LUMINOUS METEOUS. 



285 



III. Stae-Showers. 



1 . The August Meteoric Shoiver in 1868. — Signor Francesco Denza, Director 

 of the Observatory at Moncalieri, in Piedmont, has published a pamphlet 

 of the observations made on the nights of the 9th-12th August in Italy, 

 comprehending some fifteen stations. It appears that the largest number 

 to be seen by a single observer in one hour was at Florence, viz. 26"9 on the 

 night of the 10th August, at 13''-14''. Three observers, imder the super- 

 vision of Prof. Donati, registered : — 



Of these, about 5 per cent, on each evening were sporadic, or not Perseids. 

 Out of these 813 meteors Prof. Donati classifies 164 as large ones, 221 of 

 ordinary size, and 428 as small. As compared with the Perseids of 1867, the 

 result appears, as reduced for the same days and hours of observation, for a 



single observer : — 



From whence it does not appear that there was any great difference in the 

 richness of this shower for the two years. Signor Denza gives the positions 

 assigned to the radiant-point of these August meteors, as determined by com- 

 petent observers, at 6 out of the 15 Italian stations, and the results are re- 

 markably accordant : — 



Bergamo 



Milan 



Lodi 



Moncalieri 



Urbino 



Palermo 



Mean or average 



The position of the Perseid radiant, as determined by A. S. Herschel in 

 1863, was II. A. 43°-8, N. Dccl. 56°-2 (Report for 1864, p. 98). 



For the fifteen stations in Italy, the horary numbers, reduced for a single 

 observer, gave as average :— 



9 August 8-2 



10 „ 147 



11 „ 105 



3i r 51 



At Urbino Prof. Serpieri gives the radiant positions as foUows : — 



