378 Shooting Stars of August 8th, 9th and lOth, 1842. 



Aug. 9. Observations commenced at lOh, ; the sky hazy, and 

 cloud about 5° high, around N. and W. Meteors seen, 



from lOh. to llh. N. 11, E. 17, S. 12, W. 14, =54 

 llh. to 12h. 20, 27, 18, 14, =79 



At llh. 45m. P. M. the sky began to be clouded, and by 

 midnight, only here and there a star was dimly visible. From 

 this time until at least' 4h. A.|M. the clouds prevented all obser- 

 vation. 



Aug. 10. Observations commenced at 1 Oh. 10m. Between this 

 and llh. meteors seen, 



N. 28, E. 19, S. 21, W. 21, =89. 



During these fifty minutes the sky was in general as much as 

 one sixth part obscured by clouds, and for five minutes was wholly 

 overcast. Most of these meteors were inferior in brilliancy to 

 stars of the first magnitude ; but one of them equaled Jupiter 

 in splendor. The larger part radiated from the vicinity of the 

 sword-handle of Perseus. At llh, 5m. P. M. the sky became 

 wholly overcast, and with scarcely any change continued so 

 until daylight. 



During the nights of the 11th and 12th, the sky was too cloudy 

 for observation. The same was true of the nights from the 3d 

 to the 7th, each inclusive. The nights of the 1st and 2d were 

 clear. On the 1st, I watched alone for one hour ending lOh. 

 15m. P. M,, principally in the N. and N. E., and saw Jive shoot- 

 ing stars, having little uniformity of direction. 



From the observations above detailed, it is safe to conclude 

 that the meteoric display which occurs about the 10th of August, 

 was during the present year quite equal to its visitations since 

 1837. On comparison with former results, it may with con- 

 fidence be inferred, that if the weather had been propitious, we 

 should have seen more than a thousand shooting stars during 

 the night of the 10th inst. 



New Haven, Conn., August 16, 1842, 



