140 BULLETIN OF THE 



1. What was the exact time at which its appearance and di* 



appearance was noted ? 



2. Is the time quoted by you railroad time or local time ? if it 



is given by a clock that is regnlated by a noonday mark, 

 do you make an allowance for the equation of time as 

 given in the almanac ? 



3. What was the bearing or azimuth of the meteor when first 



seen, and when last seen ? 



4. What was its apparent angular altitude when first and last 



seen ? 



5. What was its apparent angular altitude when at its highest 



above the horizon, or how great was its nearest approach 

 to your zenith, and what was its bearing at that time ? if 

 you cannot satisfactorily state the angular altitude, give 

 the distance and height of a tree, house-top, hill-top, or 

 other object near which it passed. 



6. For how many seconds was it visible, and did it appear to 



move more rapidly at one part of its path than at 

 another ? 

 1. How bright did it appear to be as compared with the bright- 

 est full moon, or the brightest stars ? 



8. Kame the stars, if known to you, near which its path lay in 



the heavens ? 



9. Did it appear to be a bright point merely, or to have a sen- 



sible size ? If the latter, state the apparent shape of the 

 body, its length and breadth as compared with the diam- 

 eter of the moon. 



10. Describe the colors of the body, and the nature of its train, 



if any appeared in its wake ? 



11. How many seconds elapsed after the disappearance of the 



meteor before you heard the sound that accompanied it ? 



12. Describe as accurately as possible the nature of this sound, 



whether it was a single concussion like the discharge of a 

 cannon, or a series of rolling sounds like the discharge of 

 artillery or musketry ; and if the latter, for how many 

 seconds did the noise continue audible ? 



In explanation of the above questions, it may be stated that 

 this meteor is believed to have passed in a westerly direction 

 through the atmosphere at an elevation of a few miles above the 

 earth's surface, and directly over the central portions of Virginia. 

 Therefore to observers north of this region, as, for instance, at 

 Baltimore, the meteor appeared some distance to the south of the 

 observer's zenith ; whilst to more southern observers it appeared 

 to the north of their zenith, and, for instance, at Charleston, S. 

 C, must have been seen, if at all, near the northern horizon. 



You will confer a favor upon the Society by communicating 

 this circular letter of inquiry to the people of your neighborhood, 

 to the more intelligent of your employes, and to all persons of 



