74 REPORT — 1872, 



the bright or reddish colour and the apparent speed of motion of meteors in 

 their flight present a very important and interesting subject of study and 

 of further observation. 



1871, September 2, about 8'' 15*" p.m. — On this and the following dates 

 some bright meteors, proceeding apparently from different radiant-points 

 from that in Hercules of the meteor last described, were noticed, and the 

 following was recorded by Mr. J. M. Wilson*, as it appeared to him on the 

 above evening, in the fading twilight, and Avith a slightly clouded sky, and 

 to other persons at Croakbourne, in the Isle of Man. The meteor appeared 

 in the west, and presented a visible disk of about the apparent size of an 

 eighth of the moon's surface. As it increased in size, the nucleus broke into 

 three following and connected portions, the foremost and brightest of which 

 was white ; and a luminous streak remained for about one second upon the 

 meteor's course. It moved for two or three seconds, with a slow and uniform 

 motion, over a space of about 45°, descending nearly vertically in the west, 

 from between the stars y, tt Herculis, crossing Corona to a little below 

 ^ Bootis, where it finally disappeared, about 15° above the horizon. 



1871, September 4, 9'' 30" p.m. — At Brancepeth, near Durham, Mr. 

 Joseph Lawson communicated the following description of a very brilliant 

 meteor which he observed at the above hour ; his shadow cast before him as 

 strongly as during bright full moonlight, causing him to turn in time to sec 

 the meteor in its descent. It was first seen passing Polaris and descending 

 towards Ursa Major (see the accompanying sketch) ; intensely white, like the 



1 



Folaris « / 



/ 



/ 



/ 

 / 



/ 

 / 

 / 



/ 



/ 

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Ma for ' 11 ! ' 



•^ . ," • 



Point of the meteor's 

 explosion and subsequent appearance. 



Meteor seen at Brancepeth, Durham, 9h 30m p.m., September 4, 1871. 



magnesium light, and bursting into seven fragments as it approached that 

 constellation. The two larger fragments appeared each to be not less than 

 the head of the meteor before its disruption, and all were white, fringed 

 with blue, and died out as sparks falling towards the earth, but apparently 

 not reaching the horizon. The meteor burst with a momentary increase of 

 light, and the fragments remained visible for about three seconds. No 

 sound of an explosion was hcpid after the meteor's disajipearance. 



The following account of some bright meteors visible on the same evening 



* ' Nature,' September 14, 1R71. 



