70 REPORT— 1872. 



to the pairs and groups of meteors which are sometimes observed to appear 

 in very brief succession in ordinary star-showers. The radiant-point of the 

 pair, if these meteors might be so regarded, is between the constellations 

 Cygnns and Vulpccula. But from their close vicinity, respectively, to the 

 radiants E3 and J3G-„, in Musca, and in the neighbourhood of Draco, which 

 first present themselves about the middle of October, it appears more probable 

 that their remarkably foreshortened courses may be clearly individualized as 

 distinct, and that they were evidently members, respectively, of those well- 

 marked, and widely separated showers. A similar instance of coincidence, 

 but apparently without real connexion, will shortly be noticed in a future 

 page. 



7. Another bright meteor, from one of the latter radiant-points, II3, was 

 recorded by Mr. Wood, at Birmingham, at 10'* 7" p.m. on the 1st of Novem- 

 ber 1870; brighter than Sirius, white, and moving for two seconds in a 

 short course close to the apparent place of the last meteor seen at York, 

 from E. A. 27°, N. Decl. 21°, to y Arictis. At 10" 27'" a second-magnitude 

 meteor, with a vcrj' short coi;rse, passed, leaving a streak across the Pleiades, 

 proceeding from the same radiant-point, from which a few other meteors, 

 noticed by Mr. Wood on that night, were also directed. In a note to th'e 

 latter appearance, he observes that " a writer in the * Times,' of about that 

 date, describes an ' Astronomical Phenomenon,' which was ' a sudden light- 

 ing of the Pleiades of momentary duration,' and which took place twice on 

 the same night. I observed the same effect produced by this meteor ; and it 

 is evidently owing to the proximity of the radiant E^ to the Pleiades, 

 causing the meteors to be seen foreshortened when they happen to present 

 themselves in the position named." 



Large Meteors ohserved since the presentation of tlie last Report. 



1871, August 13, 8" SO"- r.ii.— In a letter to Mr. Glaisher, Mr. W. J. 

 Miller communicates the following observation of a fireball seen by him in 

 August last at Glasgow : — " On the 13th inst., about 8** 30™ p.m., I observed, 

 about due north from the western part of this city, a meteor making a nearly 

 vertical descent ; it tended sHghtly westwards. The elevation might be about 

 25° or 30° ; and the twilight was still strong. The effect on the eye was 

 more of a flash of lightning, or the sudden appearance of the new moon, than 

 any thing I can compare it to. The sky being clear, there could be no 

 lightning of this description." 



1871, August 21, about 9'' p.m. — The following description of a large 

 meteor seen at Knocklong, Limerick, was communicated to the Committee by 

 Mr. W. F. Denning in a letter from the observer, Mr. Jeremiah Henly, who 

 writes : — " The meteor was visible a few minutes after 9 o'clock. It seemed 

 to issue from about Polaris, and travelled across the heavens for a space of 

 at least 7° or 8° [? 70° or 80°] in the direction of the constellation Hercules. 

 As it passed through the atmosphere, it seemed to leave a brilliant track of 

 fire across the heavens, which continued visible for about ten seconds." 



1871, August 31, about 9'' 45"' p.m. — A meteor of very remarkable ap- 

 pearance was simultaneously observed at Hawkhurst (Kent) aiid at Eoss 

 (Herefordshire) under very favourable circumstances for determining its real 

 height. The attention of a lady. Miss Strong, who observed the meteor near 

 Eoss, being directed, when it appeared, to the unclouded appearance of the full 

 moon, which had then risen some 15° above the E.S.E. horizon ; of a suddeu 

 the meteor came into view, with leisurely speed and with surprising lumi- 



