76 REPORT — 1872. 



England was thus described by Mr. T. Perkins, who observed it at Durham. 

 The Durham Cathedral clock had just finished chiming the hour of a quarter 

 to eight when the meteor appeared. The apparent size of the nucleus was 

 much larger and its light was much brighter than that of the planet Yenus, 

 und it appeared of a brilliant greenish-blue colour. It described a course of 



Helades 



Aide- •, 



baran " . _ 



about 20°, with slow motion downwards, in about 2h seconds, and vanished 

 suddenly (if it was not hidden by the branches of some neighbouring trees) 

 at an apparent altitude of about 12° or 15° (as measured afterwards by the 

 elevation of the trees) from the horizon. Its point of disappearance was 

 about 8° or 10° below a point between the stars p and c Ononis. Its path 

 was slightly curved, as shown in the figure, and directed, in the latter portion 

 of its flight, very nearly from the Pleiades. 



Mr. S. H. Miller observed the appearance of the meteor near Wisbeach in 

 Cambridgeshire, its light causing him to turn round and to note it in the last 

 portion of its flight. In apparent size it appeared to be about one-third of 

 the apparent diameter of the moon, perfectly white, like a drop of liquid 

 silver, falling in the west, where it descended "to the horizon. 



At Northwich, in Cheshire, it appeared to cast as much light as the moon 

 shining brightly in its first quarter. It shot from the direction of the 

 Hyades, near Aldcbaran, and disappeared close to Orion's belt (Manchester 

 ' Examiner and Times '). It also attracted attention at Bowdon near Man- 

 chester, where it was observed in the south-west, descending towards the 

 S.S.E. horizon. It was at first accompanied by a reddish train, which changed 

 to blue and left some sparks, when the meteor, with a dip southwards, sud- 

 denly disappeared. As seen at Bolton, near this point, by Mr. A. Greg, it 

 appeared facing him (and to another observer, " low down in the sky " before 

 him) as he looked towards the south ; and it disappeared in a large and bril- 

 liant flash while passing over the belt of Orion. 



1872, March 8, 9" 5'". — The most brilliant meteor recorded during the 

 year, and one of great interest from the southern character and much further 

 westerly situation of its radiant-point than that of any meteor-system hitherto 

 recognized during the period of that month, was observed by the assistant at 

 Lord Eosse's Observatory at Birr Castle, in Ireland, and was thus described 



