94 



REPORT 1872. 



Probable time of maximum, 

 18th-lyth, 



Percentage of colours. 



observations, together with those of the succeeding years, to the present date 

 (1871):- 



Meteoric Shower, October 19, 1868. 



Centres of radiation and the number 

 per cent, from each. 



Eadiant. per cent. 



= 57 



K..S = 7 



K = 1^ 



r, = 10 



e; ..+R3 = 10 



U + G + T.,,3,, = 6 



Orange or yellow. 



Blue 



White 



= 40 

 = 40 



= 20 



Percentage of magnitudes . 



Equal to Sirius = 13 



„ 1st mag = 20 



„ 2nd mag =23 



„ 3rd mag. and under = 44 



43 per cent, left reddish trains. 

 Eate of Apparition. 



As far as the weather permitted observations, it would seem probable that 

 this shower was above the average of its kind in hourly numbers seen, and 

 presented its distinctive features of ruddy meteors leaving trains, of which 

 57 per cent, emanated from the radiant in Orion ; the remainder issued 

 from seven other radiants. Few meteors were seen before 11.30. 



1869, October 19, p.m. — The brightness of the full moon obscxired the 

 meteors (if any). 



October 19, 1870. — From the 18th to the 20th stormy weather (p.m.). 



October 19, 1871. — 18th, overcast. 19th, overcast; heavy rains (p.m.). 

 20th, foggy; from 10.2Q to 11.20 p.m. 2 meteors: 11.10 p.m., 2ud mag., 

 blue, 0-5 sec; from 86,4-53, to 74, + 50; radiant F^ ; left a streak (the 

 other meteor was not observed accurately enough for mapping : 10.35 p.m., 

 ruddy, 2nd mag., in head of Cetus, rad. ?). 



Meteor-showers of November 1871. — At Brancepeth, Durham, Mr. Joseph 

 Lawson noticed some conspicuous shooting-stars on the evening of the 8th of 

 November, of which he gives the following description : — " On Wednesday, 

 the 8th, at about 6 p.m., I saw four meteors in five minutes ; the brightest 

 about the 2ud magnitude. One passed through Corona, the other three were 

 all through Aquila ; but their directions were such that I could see no radiant- 

 point. One described a course of fully 60° (see the accompanying sketch, 

 p. 95)." 



From a report of observations at Sunderland received from Mr. Back- 

 house, it appears that one or two meteors from Leo were visible on the 



