368 Meteoric Shoioer of Nove^nher, 1838. 



little bodies doubtless reflect the sun's light, but in consequence 

 of their minuteness, they are rarely, if ever, seen in this way. 

 There is however room to hope, that they may be occasionally 

 detected by powerful telescopes, while moving in their celestial 

 paths, across the sun's disk. The discovery by Pastorff, in this 

 mode (Bib. Univ. de Geneve, 1835, t. 58, p. 434) of two or m^ore 

 new asteroids, and the previous observations of Gautier and Mess- 

 ier, induce the belief, that similar investigations hereafter will re- 

 veal important results. 



It has been conjectured, that shooting stars proceed from the 

 luminous appearance, long known and little understood, called the 

 Zodiacal Light. It may therefore not be irrelevant to advert to 

 thfr fact, that the earth is in a situation more favorable for collis- 

 ion with this body, early in December, than in the middle of 

 November. 



An account of the progress of discovery concerning the meteo- 

 ric season of August, together with some additional observations 

 on the meteors of August 9 — 11, 1838, are postponed for want of 

 room. 



New Haven, December 24, 1838. 



Art. XX. — On the Meteoric iShoioer of November, 1838 ; by 

 Denison Olmsted, Professor of Natural Philosophy and Astron- 

 omy, in Yale College. 



Efficient arrangements were made at Yale College, by a num- 

 ber of young gentlemen of the senior class, in conjunction with 

 myself, to watch the heavens on the night of the 12th and 13th 

 November, with the view of ascertaining whether the meteoric 

 shower which has occurred, to a greater or less extent, at this 

 date, for several years past, would be repeated the present year. 

 The night was unfavorable for observation ; still, occasional 

 glimpses of clear sky. were seen at different times of the night, 

 sufiicient to have recognized the phenomenon, had it occurred in 

 a manner corresponding to the exhibitions of former years. Al- 

 though a few meteors were seen, yet we adopted the conclusion, 

 that, at this place, there loas no extraordinary a.ppearance of 

 shooting stars on the Tnorning of the V^th November. On the 

 following morning, Nov. 14, shooting stars were more frequent ; 

 but we did not feel authorized from our observations, to pronounce 



