164 On the Meteors of 13th November, 1833. 
earth, since, during the eight hours, while the meteoric shower lasted, 
(and perhaps it lasted much longer,) the earth moved in its orbit 
through the space of nearly 550,000 miles. 
We have seen that the meteors appeared to be analogous, in their 
constitution, to the material of which the nebulous matter of comets 
is composed, in all the particulars in which we can compare the two. 
We may be permitted, therefore, in order to avoid circumlocution, to 
call the body which afforded the meteoric shower, a comet, while 
we pursue the inquiry, whether it exhibited the other attributes of 
that class of bodies. ; 
- The leading circumstances to be accounted for are the following : 
Why the phenomenon remained so long stationary with respect to the 
earth? Why it was seen in that particular part of the heavens ? Why 
it returns at stated periods, having appeared at Mocha, in Arabia, just 
one year preceding, and, in a manner very similar to the present, as 
described by Humboldt, and by Ellicot, thirty-four years before ? 
Fig. 5. 
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Let * 8 a, &c. (fig. 5.) represent the plane of the ecliptic, with 
