376 REPORT— 1867. 



" I should estimate the apparent diameter of this meteor as one-fifth that 

 of the moon. But the intensity of its hght was incomparably greater than 

 that of any previoiisly observed, and its character more resembled sunlight 

 than any other. 



"The most remarkable feature of this meteor, however, was the train. 

 This was of a pale-yellow colour, and at first it remained as a band of dense 

 nebulous-looking light, about half a diameter of the moon in breadth, along 

 the path of the meteor, as in 'No. 1. 



" After two minutes the train wound about, and assumed the appearance 

 of No. 2. 



" After 3| minutes it had collected itself into a nebulous-looking cloud, as 

 in No. 3, which remained vividly distinct until four minutes (by the watch) 

 after the appearance of the meteor, when it was obscured by a cloud." 



Professor Grant's notes of its appearance at Glasgow refer principally to 

 the luminous streak, of which a drawing 

 at the time, by Mi*. Herschcl, is here 



appended in illustration of Professor ® _.^ 



Grant's description. 



" At 14" 41'", G. M. T., my attention 

 was directed to an extraoi'chnary blaze 

 of light in the constellation Ursa Ma- £ 



jor. "When first seen it presented tlie 

 appearance of a slightl_y curved broad ® 

 band of light, indicative of the train of 

 a meteor which itself had already dis- o 

 appeared, and which, judging from what 

 was left behind, must have far exceeded 

 in lustre any of the meteors seen during 

 the night. The first apparition of this 

 remarkable phenomenon I unfortunately 



lost, having been engaged at the time in writing down some details in 

 my notebook. It was obvious, however, that the meteor had only just va- 

 nished, for the residuary mass of light was stiU very bright. I eoidd only 

 compai-e its appearance in this respect to that presented in a dark night by 

 the blazing furnace of one of the great iron-Avorks in the neighbourhood of 

 Glasgow. In less than a minute after it was fiii'st seen it assumed the appear- 

 ance of a horseshoe, or inverted arch, of diffused nnd rajiidly diminishing 

 light, one extremity of which was pi-ojected upon eUrsa) Majoris, and the 

 other iipon y and 2 of the same constellation [No. 1]. Graduallj^it expanded 

 in dimensions and grew fainter ; at the same time the ai'ch became more 

 elongated and pointed, suggesting its resemblance to a merry- thought, or the 

 outline of a heart. At 14'' 48™ the western extremity was stiU attached to 

 e Ursaj jMajoris, but the eastern had drifted from y and o to a and /3 of the 

 same constellation [No. 3] ; an effect doubtless attributable to the prevalence 

 of a westerlj^ wind, which was blowing at the time. The apex was seen 

 to descend as far as v//TJrsfe Majoris, or perhaps a little lower. This remark- 

 able object continued to be distinctly visible till 14'^ 5G"'; even at IS*" traces 

 of it might still be discerned"*. 



Professor Piazzi Smyth thus describes the appearance of the train at the 

 Carlton Hill Observatoiy at Edinburgh : — 



* Explanation of the figure. — No. 1. Appearcnce of tbc streak at 14'> 42™, G. M. T. 

 No. 2. Appearance at 14'' 44'". No. 3. Appearance at 14'' 4S"'. No. 4. Shortly before 

 disapiiearance at 14'' 52'", 



