328 Shooting Stars of August, 1839. 



on the nights following, we thought best to retire. The time of 

 the greatest abundance cannot be determined from our data ; but 

 there is reason to presume that it occurred after three o'clock in 

 the morning. It ought to be mentioned that at our station, the 

 sky around the horizon was somewhat obstructed, so that probably 

 a tenth or fifteenth part of the meteors which might have been 

 seen above our horizon, were concealed from view. The radi- 

 ant of the meteors, being 'a matter of great importance, received 

 our special attention. It would have been more satisfactory if we 

 could have determined it by marking, on a celestial map, the track 

 of each meteor; but this we could not do without losing great 

 numbers. During the whole period of observation this subject 

 was in mind, and each morning, after we ended the enumeration, 

 we devoted several minutes solely to this purpose. The radiant 

 was, as we have heretofore seen, not a definite point, but a region 

 comprehending several degrees. During both nights the centre 

 of radiation was not far from the cluster of stars in the sword-han- 

 dle of Perseus. About Ih. A. M. of the 11th, we considered the 

 centre to be nearer Persei. We did not notice during the two 

 nights, any very perceptible change of radiant with regard to the 

 fixed stars.* 



The nights of the 11th, 12th, and 13th, were too cloudy to 

 permit observation. The evening of the 14th was clear. Messrs. 

 Bradley and Haile, and myself, watched from lOh. to 12h. P. M., 

 and saw seventy-two meteors as follows : — 



Of these, about 15 equaled stars of the first magnitude. The 

 radiant was less definite than on the nights of the 9th and 10th, 

 but nearly in the same region of the heavens. At midnight the 

 sky was becoming cloudy. The nights of the loth, 16th, 17th, 

 and 18th, were almost wholly overcast. On the night of the 

 31st, I watched in the N. N. E. from Sh. 55m. to 10 P. M., and 

 saw seven meteors. Most of them might be traced back to a 

 region between Cassiopeia and Perseus. 



* It is worfhy of mention, tliat a faint Aurora Borcalis was visible during our ob- 

 servations on the ziiglit of the lUth. It was seen also on the 23th aad 31st, 



