OBSERVATIONS OF LUMINOUS METEORS. 349 



Report of the Committee, consisting 0/ James Glaisher, F.R.S., of the 

 Royal Observatory, Greemvich, Robert P. Greg, F.G.S., and Alex- 

 ander S. HerscheLj F.R.A.S., on Observations of Luminous 

 Meteors, 1872-73 ; drawn up by Alexander S. Herschel, 

 F.R.A.S. 



The observ.ations of meteors and shooting-stars collected during the past year 

 have been of a more than usually interesting and varied character. The 

 number of lai'ge meteors is more considerable ; and the ajjpearances of ordi- 

 nary shooting-stars have presented themselves in a more striking manner as 

 regards the explanation of their origin, than has often been the case in former 

 years. Of the meteors which have thus appeared, the Committee have ob- 

 tained much accurate information ; but the extent of the knowledge acquired 

 oQ all hands of the origin of these bodies has advanced so rapidly with the 

 increase of such observations, that a smaller space for discussion of the indivi- 

 dual descriptions can be occupied in their Eeport than the Committee have 

 hitherto been able to bestow iipon them ; and a more complete reduction of 

 the separate observatious will accordingly be attempted when the oppor- 

 tunities of the Committee allow of their closer examination. Those meteors, 

 however, which have been observed simultaneously at more than one ob- 

 serving-station, have been selected from the collection for transcription in 

 suitable columns in this Report ; and a list of large meteors is added, among 

 which some have occurred that have without doubt been noticed, and may 

 have attracted attention, in other directions than has hitherto come to the 

 knowledge of the Committee. Two of the largest fireballs seen in Great 

 Britain were atrolitic, or bm-st with the sound of a violent explosion, on the 

 cJrd of November and 3rd of February last, over the interior of Scotland and 

 over Manchester and its neighboui'hood respectively. The descriptions of 

 these two meteors are not so accurate and complete as to admit of very 

 useful repetitions of all their details. Acrolitic meteors and aerolites have also 

 been noticed in the scientific journals of other countries, which have given 

 rise to experiments on the composition of aerolitic substances, both chemical 

 and microscopical, the conclusions of which continue to extend the range of 

 our speculations regarding the origin of these bodies. Thus the existence of 

 carbon and hydrogen in the atmosphere from which the largest iron meteorite 

 yet found (on the shores of Greenland) was projected, confirms the discoveries 

 of Graham and Dr. Mallet, of the existence of those gases in other meteoric 

 irons which have recently been examined, and off'ers proofs of a relationship 

 between meteorites and comets (in whose spectra carbon has been recognized 

 as an ingredieutj which it will be interesting to pursue with further expe- 

 riments and observations. 



The past year was distinguished by the occurrence of a most remarkable and 

 striking star-shower on the night of the 27th of November last, to tlie expected 

 appearance of which astronomers were looking forward with especial attention, 

 from the unexplained absence of the double comet of Biela (to which it 

 belongs) at the time of its expected returns in the last three of its periodical 

 revolutions. The probability of the comet's path being marked by a meteoric 

 stream, into which the earth might plunge on or about the i^7th of November 

 «very year, was already become a certainty by the obsei-vation by Zezioli, 

 of Bergamo, of such a meteoric shower on the 30th of November, 1867, 

 no doubt of whose belonging to the path of the missing comet could possibly 

 be entertained. The exact date of the shower could not be foretold with 



