228 On the Meteor of May 18th, 1838/ 



son, and Ann Arbor, are quite within the Hmits of the unavoidable 

 errors of such observations. Those at Hanover and CUnton seem 

 somewhat large, yet when it is remembered, that these measure- 

 ments were not taken till more than a month after the meteor 

 appeared, I think we must admit the possibility of errors of this 

 magnitude. The assigned termination of the meteor's flight, 

 rests upon the observations of Hanover, Clinton, Hudson, and 

 Ann Arbor. The errors of the observations appear to be, Han- 

 over +27'; Clinton +2'; Hudson + 54'; Ann Arbor -1° 24'; all 

 of which are quite admissible. 



The observations at Clinton make the meteor's first appearance 

 S. 13° 25' W. I think it probable there is some mistake here, or 

 if not, we must suppose the meteor to have been seen at Clinton 

 much earlier than at any other station. At all events, it is im- 

 possible with this single observation to trace the meteor with 

 confidence farther south than I have done. 



It will be observed, that the three points in the meteor's path 

 which T. have above given, do not lie in a straight line. The 

 middle point is more distant from the surface of the earth than 

 either of the extremes by 2.7 miles, and allowing for the convex- 

 ity of the earth, the total curvature in a vertical plane is about 

 six miles. But the projection of the meteor's path upon a hori- 

 zontal plane, deviates still more from a straight line. The cur- 

 vature here amounts to forty one miles, the convexity being 

 turned towards the east. We may suppose a part of this irregu- 

 larity to arise from the errors of the observations, yet I think it 

 well nigh certain, that the path was actually crooked. 



Having thus deduced the meteor's path from the best observa- 

 tions, I proceed to inquire how these results accord with the re- 

 maining observations. A meteor was seen at Raymond, in the 

 eastern part of New Hampshire, a little past 8 o'clock, on the 

 evening of the 18th. It bore nearly west, at an elevation of 

 from 5 to 10°, moved north westerly, descending rapidly towards 

 the horizon. This description accords as nearly as could be ex- 

 pected with the position I have assigned the meteor. At Mount 

 Upton, Chenango county, N. Y., " soon after sunset, on the eve- 

 ning of the 18th, a very brilliant meteor started from that part of 

 the heavens which declines a little to the west or southwest from 

 the point over head, and pursued its course about due N. W., dis- 

 appearing behind the hills in that direction." According to my 

 results, the meteor could not have been elevated much above fif- 



