Meteoric Shoiver of November, 1838. 369 



that the exhibition was so remarkable as to be properly denomi- 

 nated a "meteoric shower." I find, however, that some of my 

 friends and correspondents abroad were more fortunate. The 

 most decisive communications which I have seen on this subject, 

 are from Professor A. C. Twining of Middlebury College, Ver- 

 mont, and from Mr. E. Fitch, Professor of Mathematics in the 

 United States Navy, who was then on a cruise in the Gulf of 

 Mexico. 



According to the statements of Professor Twining, published 

 in a Middlebury paper, a vigilant watch was maintained by him- 

 self and nine of his pupils, from the 10th to the 15th of Novem- 

 ber. The results of their observations were as follows : 



Nov. 10. — From 3 to 6 A. M., the whole number of shooting stars 

 observed was 70, of which 40 were from the constellation Leo, 

 within the bend of the sickle. Eight were attended with trains. 

 The observations on the two following mornings presented noth- 

 ing differing much from those of the 10th. The night of the 

 13th was cloudy, and no observations could be obtained. 



Nov. 14th. — The morning was mostly clear from 4 to 6 o'clock, 

 which was the period of observation. The phenomena differed 

 reiiiarkably from those of the preceding mornings, both as respects 

 the number of falling stars, and their appearance. A large portion 

 of the whole were attended by trains. The number was more 

 than three times as great as on either of the previous mornings, 

 being at the rate of 105 per hour. One meteor of re^iarkable size 

 and splendor, shot from the common radiant, to the Great Bear, 

 where it exploded, leaving a bright streak about two degrees long, 

 which turned slowly to a vertical position, then expanded into 

 a cloud which continued visible nine minutes, and moved in a 

 westerly and descending direction about seven degrees before it 

 became invisible. The flash of this meteor was seen by observ- 

 ers looking in the opposite direction, to illuminate the earth's sur- 

 face like a faint flash of lightning. The spot where the explosion 

 took place, was in Right Ascension 182°, and Declination 46J°. 

 Of all the meteors observed on this occasion, nine out of ten had 

 their courses in a direction from a common radiant, situated in the 

 upper part of the bend of the sickle in Leo. 



On the morning of the 15th, shooting stars were veiy frequent, 

 but less so, on an average, than on the preceding morning, and 

 far less regular with regard to a common source, or radiant. 



Vol. XXXV.— No. 2, 47 



