. 
342 On the Meteors of 13th November, 1833. 
W ; but the uncertainty of a few minutes in the time, and the pos- 
sibility that the meteor may have passed a little eastward of the ze- 
nith, dispose us to rely, in our diagram, upon the direct observation 5 
especially, as the change happens to be such as would scarcely affect 
the result of our diagram. The remarkable observation made at 
Kent confirms the justness both of this course and of all our con- 
clusions. ; 
In determining the foot of the vertical in which the meteor explo- 
ded, or expired, the Brookfield and Middletown azimuths have been 
chiefly relied upon. The New Haven azimuth coincides almost 
exactly with the result; as it should be expected to do, having been 
fixed by means of astar. The other azimuths, at New York, West 
Point and Kent, being given by judgment merely, without reference 
to fixed objects, present, notwithstanding, an accordance more nice 
than could have been anticipated. 
For determining the specific place or height of the meteor, at the 
time of its explosion, the planes passing through the above named 
vertical line and the different points of observation are revolved 
around (see fig .2 of the plate) into the vertical plane of the meteor’s 
motion. In delineating the altitudes, the effect of curvature has been 
regarded. To determine the exact place in the vertical, the New 
Haven altitude has been principally relied upon, and next, that of 
West Point; although it happens that the Middletown observation 
is almost exact, and all the others are near to the truth. The result 
is, that this meteor exploded, or expired, at the height of twenty nine 
miles and a half, above the surface of the earth. 
In attempting to ascertain the height of the upper extremity of this 
meteor’s visible course, we revolve the New Haven and Middletown 
planes of observation around the meteor’s line of flight, as an axis, till 
those planes coincide with the vertical plane in which the meteor’s mo- 
tion took place (or the Brookfield plane) ; and then throw back from the 
lines which join the observer’s eye and the place of the meteor’s dis- 
‘appearance, angles equal to the observed arcs of the meteor’s flight. 
The result is made apparent to the eye in the dotted back lines seen, 
in fig. 2, proceeding upward from the three places just mentioned. 
The Brookfield observation, which threw the point of first appearance 
ten degrees at least south of the zenith, is considered to be an obser- 
vation which may be relied upon as near the truth; and for the rea- 
sons following, it has been, with some confidence, adopted as one 
of the data :-— , 
