364 On the Meteors of 1 Sth JVovember. 



" Meteoric Phenomenon" was the principal topic of conversation in 

 every circle, and the descriptions that were published by different 

 observers, were rapidly circulated by the newspapers, through all 

 parts of the United States. 



The writer of this article, through the kindness of a friend, was 

 awaked in season to witness the spectacle in much of ils grandeur. 

 His impressions were immediately committed to writing, and the state- 

 ment was published the same day in the New Haven Daily Herald. 

 It concluded with a request for information from other observers. Al- 

 though he did not presume to expect communications, except from 

 observers within the limited sphere through which the paper circu- 

 lates, yet the article being copied into other papers of a wider cur- 

 rency, the request has met with a response from scientific gendemen 

 residing in different parts of the Union, to whom he tenders his grate- 

 ful acknowledgments. By their kindness, added to a diligent peru- 

 sal of the public papers, and of various statements from the corres- 

 pondents of this Journal, which the editor has been so good as to 

 place in his hands, (of which notices will appear in the sequel,) he 

 believes himself to have the means of giving a synopsis of the princi- 

 pal facts as observed throughout the United States, in some of the 

 neighboring islands, and on parts of the ocean, although it is still too 

 early to attempt a description of this phenomenon in its full extent ; 

 for we have not yet had time to hear of its extreme limits in any one 

 direction, or of the appearances which portions of the heavens are pre- 

 sumed to have presented to places situated without those limits. But 

 if we should venture no farther, we may at least render an accepta- 

 ble service to science, by collecting and classifying the facts already 

 ascertained, and recording them in a work more permanent than the 

 ephemeral publications, in which they have hitherto appeared. 

 ■ It is proposed then, first, after describing the phenomenon as it ap- 

 peared at this place, (Yale College,) to insert at large several descrip- 

 tions furnished by observers residing in places remote from each other; 

 secondly, to present a synopsis of all the facts hitherto ascertained ; 

 thirdly, to offer a concise sketch of similar phenomena heretofore ob- 

 served and recorded ; and finally, to inquire what explanation, if any, 

 fuay be given to the phenomenon in question. 



