Miscellanies. 213 



The watch commenced at lO/t, 20m. P. M., April 20th, and contmued 

 till 4 A. M. of the 21st. During that period, shooting stars were ob- 

 served, as reported in the following table : 



45 38 31 37 151 



The moon, ten days old, interfered until 3 A. M. of the 21st, conceal- 

 ing probably half of the meteors which would, in case of her absence, 

 have been visible. Morning dawned at 3A. 30ot. A. M., and by 4Ji. 

 daylight had become strong. 



Arranged according to apparent magnitudes of the fixed stars, there 

 were greater than 1st, 3 ; equal to 1st, 24 ; equal to 2d, 27 ; equal to 

 3d, and less^ 97. Of the whole number, not one appeared to explode : 

 about ten left trains ; in the absence of the moon more trains would 

 probably have been seen. Nothing remarkable was noticed regarding 

 the times of flight, or the colors of the meteors. 



The apparent paths were not as uniform in direction as are those of 

 the meteors of August 10th. Nearly three fourths of them might be 

 traced back to a region about Corona Borealis, but there seemed to be 

 no very definite point of radiation. Of the remaining fourth, a few 

 seemed to diverge from about Spica Virginis ; and the rest moved in 

 various directions. 



The places of two of the largest meteors were noted as follows : 



Oh. 35«z. 7s. A. M. 21st. A meteor equal to Jupiter, commencing in 

 R. A. 250% S. dec. 13°, and disappearing in R. A. 225°, S. dec. 23°. 

 Time of flight, 0.33s. 



Ih. 48m. 28s. A. M. 21st. A meteor nearly equal to Mars, com- 

 mencing about E,. A. 35°, N. dec. 67°, and disappearing when brightest 

 in R. A. 145°, N. dec. 60°. Time of flight, 3.0s. 



A slight aurora borealis was visible during the night. At lOh. 20m. 

 a wide faint streamer, at N. 25° W., reaching to an altitude of 12°, 

 About this time there was an auroral bank, obscured by the haze, about 

 2° high, and sending forth several faint streamers. At lOh. 26m. scarce 

 any auroral light. At lOA. 33m. several indistinct luminous spots, and 

 obscure short streamers. At 11/i. a faint auroral bank, 2° high, but no 

 streamers. Scarcely any further traces of the aurora could be detect- 

 ed until 3 A. M. (21st,) when were seen sundry slight auroral spots, 

 10° or 15° E. of North and 1° or 2° high. 



