A CATALOGUE OF OBSERVATIONS OP LUMINOUS METEORS. 93 



as well as cobalt, zinc, nickel, &c, and the intense but greatly varied illumi- 

 nations they give when in combustion, especially under the influence of gal- 

 vanism, which resemble the light of meteors. 



No. 3. — Miscellaneous Notes on Meteoric Phenomena and Theories. 

 In the Transactions of the American Philosophical Society of Philadel- 

 phia, vol. viii. New Series, Part I. 1841, the student of meteoric phenomena 

 will find two valuable papers treating the subject, as connected with 

 cosniical forces, and regarding meteors as planetary bodies revolving in our 

 system about the sun, but under certain conditions perturbed by, and at- 

 tracted to, the earth; both papers contain elaborate researches, of which it 

 would be impossible here to attempt an analysis, investigating as problems of 

 physical astronomy the nature and modifications of their orbital motions. 

 They are entitled, Art. VIII. " On the Perturbations of Meteors approaching 

 the Earth," by B. Pierce, M.A.; Art. IX. "Researches concerning the 

 periodical Meteors of August and November," by Sears C. Walker, A.P.S. 



In the 'Philosophical Transactions,' 1840, Pt. I. Sir F. Palgrave gives an 

 account of some ancient records of meteors. An ancient chronicle, April 3, 

 1095, speaks of " stars driven like dust." July 26, 124-3, Matthew of Paris 

 describes falling stars seen 30 or 40 in one minute, so that " if they had been 

 true stars, not one would have remained in the sky." 



E. W. Brayley, Esq., ' Philosophical Magazine,' vol. lxiii. p. 385, 1824, 

 and vol. Ixiv. 1st Series; also vol. xix. 3rd Series, p. 500; and Annals of 

 Philos. January 1824, p. 73, gives a variety of details respecting meteors and 

 aerolites. In the last-mentioned paper he notices the fact that the meteorites 

 which have been examined as to their density and composition form a con- 

 tinuous series of varying characters from the most compact iron to the most 

 crystalline or scoriaceous stone. 



The hypothesis of nebulous matter existing in masses analogous to comets, 

 and like them revolving in our system, as the origin of meteors, has been sup- 

 ported on the strength of general analogy, and the probable extensive diffusion 

 of this kind of matter as evinced in the continual discovery of new telescopic, 

 as well as large, comets ; so that we may well admit with Kepler that their 

 number may be infinite, and the universe full of them. Such masses might 

 be expected to undergo great retardation from a resisting medium, and ulti- 

 mately to be condensed into the sun, or any solid planet to which they may 

 be attracted; the retardation gradually contracting their orbits till they fall 

 on the central body. It has been also alleged that in some instances the 

 nebulous tails of comets, such as those of 1811 and 1823, may have mixed 

 with our atmosphere, and perhaps from electric action have given rise to 

 luminous phenomena having the appearance of shooting stars. 



Several writers have speculated on the connexion of meteors with electric 

 phenomena, or even their electric origin. 



A hypothesis of this kind, supposing diffused atmospheric matter to be 

 carried by electric currents, has been advocated by Professor Maas in the 

 Bulletins of Royal Acad, of Brussels, 1847, p. 303. 



On this subject the reader should refer to ' Cosmos,' 1st Translation, p. 123 ; 

 and to some remarks of Poisson, ibid, note p. 402. 



Also to the masterly paper of the late Mr. Galloway, F.R.S., F.R.A.S., in 

 the ' Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,' vol. v. 



Among the cases recorded in the different catalogues, there are great num- 

 bers mentioned as attended by coruscations, flashes, and trains of various kinds, 

 which can hardly be conceived otherwise than of an electrical nature. The 

 serpentine or zigzag courses of many meteors recorded are incompatible with 

 a solid body revolving in an orbit. 



It has been noticed by Professor C. P. Smyth that the zodiacal light is 



