On the Meteors of 13th November, 1833. 339 
forming nearly a right angle with the other part, and then gradually 
grew more dim until it disappeared.” 
Fortunately, the writer has been able to obtain data for calcula- 
ting the height of the one meteor which Prof. Olmsted has descri- 
bed, as we have mentioned above. From Prof. Olmsted we learn. 
that the meteor exploded north of Capella, at a quarter before six, 
mean time, near a spot which, being pointed out, proved to be in alti- 
tude 45°, azimuth W. 37° N. Its length of flight, being also pointed 
out between certain limits, proved to be 30°, at the very least. The 
train of this meteor remained straight and motionless for a time—then 
crooked near the middle—assumed a meandering line like a ‘serpent, 
and drew itself up at last into a cloud, of about five times the diameter 
of the moon, which floated east, with a motion considerably more 
rapid than the common cumulous clouds, in a moderate wind, till after 
several minutes it disappeared nearly in the north. 
Mr. Daniel Tomlinson of Brookfield, in Connecticut, being at that 
place, saw the light of a meteor and, immediately looking up to the ze- 
nith, caught its expiring flash and saw its bright and straight train, which 
was rather broadest in the middle and was pointed at the last or nerth- 
ern extremity :—it rested directly in the zenith, one extremity being 
about 5° S., and the other extremity as many degrees N. of the ze- 
nith :—its course was, by the needle, 5°, ora very little more, W.of N.; 
or, if we add the variation of needle, N.12° W. Inorder to judge of 
the length of this meteor, Mr. ‘Tomlinson, at a subsequent period, se- 
lected two stars at the same distance apart in the zenith, according to 
his own judgment and that of several other persons, and measured the 
arc instrumentally. ‘This being done, his conclusion was, that the flight 
of the meteor was at least 20°. Mr. Tomlinson’s observations were 
made in the most judicious manner; he examined the position of the 
meteor’s train by facing first to the E., then to the W., and finally 
to the S.; and the result was invariable—that the centre of the 
train was directly in the zenith. 
This train retained its rectilinear form but a very few seconds; in 
the course of one minute (others think as many as three or four min- 
utes) it had assumed shapes like the figures two, three, four and five ; 
and after curling up, like a tape dropped on the floor, the bound- 
ing lines of the train, at the end of three minutes, at the farthest, 
were completely effaced in a luminous cloud, five or ten degrees 
broad, which dilated itself and was borne away eastward by the wind. 
Mr. T. watched it, he thinks fifteen minutes, and saw it last at 45°, 
Vou. XXVI.—No. 2. 44 
