On the Meteors of ISth JVovemher. 365 



I. Descriptions. 



1. Phenomena as observed atJYew Haven, (Lat. 41° IS'N., Lon. 

 72° 58' W.) and published in the New Haven Daily Herald.* 



" About day break this morning, our sky presented a remarkable 

 exhibition of Fire Balls, commonly called Shooting Stars. The at- 

 tention of the writer was first called to the phenomenon about half 

 past five o'clock;! from which time until near sun rise, the appear- 

 ance of these meteors was striking and splendid, beyond any thing of 

 the kind he has ever witnessed. 



To form some idea of the phenomenon, the reader may imagine 

 a constant succession of fire balls, resembling sky rockets, radiating 

 in all directions from a point in the heavens, a few degrees south-east 

 of the zenith, and following the arch of the sky towards the horizon. 

 They commenced their progress at different distances from the ra- 

 diating point, but their directions were uniformly such, that the lines 

 they described, if produced upwards, would all have met in the same 

 part of the heavens. Around this point, or imaginary radiant, was 

 a circular space of several degrees, within which no meteors were 

 observed. The balls, as they travelled down the vault, usually left 

 after them a vivid streak of light, and just before they disappeared, 

 exploded, or suddenly resolved themselves into smoke. No report 

 or noise of any kind was observed, although we listened attentively. 



Beside the foregoing distinct concretions, or individual bodies, 

 the atmosphere exhibited phosphoric lines, following in the train of 

 minute points, that shot off in the greatest abundance in a north- 

 westerly direction. These did not so fully copy the figure of the 

 sky, but moved in paths more nearly rectilinear, and appeared to be 

 much nearer the spectator than the fire balls. The light of their 

 trains also was of a paler hue, not unlike that produced by writing 

 with a stick of phosphorus on the walls of a dark room. The number 

 of these luminous trains increased and diminished alternately, now 

 and then crossing the field of view like snow drifted before the wind, 

 although in fact, their course was towards the wind. 



From these two varieties, the spectator was presented with mete- 

 ors of various sizes and degrees of splendor : some were mere points, 

 but others were larger and brighter than Jupiter or Venus ; and one, 

 seen by a credible witness before the writer was called, was judged 

 to be nearly as large as the moon. The flashes of light, although less 

 intense than lightning, were so bright as to awaken people in their 

 beds. One ball that shot off in the northwest direction, and explo- 



* The su'ostance of this sketch is the same as that published in tlie New Haven 

 Herald, on the day of the occurrence ; but as that sketch was drawn up in haste, 

 careful reflection has since suggested a few additions and alterations of phraseology, 

 with a view of rendering the statement more explicit. 



t Apparent time, or a quarter past five, mean time, 



