738 METEORIC STONES AND SHOOTING STARS. 



Many of us saw the very remarkable and brilliant Meteor of December 

 21, 1876. "It was seen between 8:40 and 9 p. m., from Kansas to Pennsyl- 

 vania; first appearing nearly over Topeka, Kansas, at an altitude of about 

 sixty miles, thence passing over the centre of North Missouri, exploding 

 several times, crossed the Mississippi between Hannibal and Keokuk, then 

 broke into several pieces, as proved by explosions heard over Central Illi- 

 nois, between St. Lonis and Chicago. The path was nearly parallel to the 

 Earth's surface, and nearl}^ a straight line a 1.000 miles long, occupying as 

 variously estimated, from fifteen seconds to three minutes time. It entered 

 our atmosphere dipping but little from 30° from the Earth's motion, and was 

 overtaking the Earth with a relative slow velocity. It must have been 

 coming from a point in the eastern or southern part of the Constellation 

 Capricornus."* Prof. Daniel Kirkwood, of Bloomington, Indiana, says if 

 "At 8:45 P.M., a fireball, accompanied hy -d large number of smaller me* 

 teors, was seen in the northern heavens, moving eastward. It appeared 12° 

 to 15° north of west, and 10° above the horizon. Its greatest altitude at 

 Bloomington was 20°, disappearing in the northeast at 5° above the hori- 

 zon. Its motion was remarkably slow. Many of the smaller meteors 

 appearing about the size of Yenus. Some minutes thereafter a rumbling 

 sound was heard. Near Columbus, Ohio, the flock was seen, of forty to 

 sixt}^, moving as regularly as a flock of geese." It consisted in fact of a 

 large flock of brilliant balls chasing each other across the sky. 



At Oregon, Missouri, its apparent size was that of the Moon, passing 

 over the Stellar vault (Mr. Kaucher says) at 8:20 p. m., from near the horizon 

 in the southwest, crossing the meridian at 55° elevation. Light fleecy 

 clouds were seen at this time displaying all the colors of the rainbow. 



At Clinton, Missouri, Dr. John H. Britts observed it at 8:20 p. M., in the 

 northwest, at 35° elevation, and passing eastwardly, appearing of a very 

 bright yellow color, and of the size of the full Moon, with a short train 

 which quickly faded aw^ay. In the east it seemed to give off" several frag- 

 ments that assued a globular form, and seemed to fall behind and below 

 the main body, disappearing about the same time, each with its own train. 



Observers at Pleasant Hill, Missouri, say it emitted sj^arks just before 

 it disappeared below the horizon, and produced a light greater than moon- 

 light. The only piece seen to fall fell at llochester, Indiana. Prof. Shepard|| 

 describes this stone as of a gray color, with a specific gravity of 3.55, rather 

 soft, with a small per cent, of metallic iron. 



Prof. J. Lawrence Smith§ describes this stone as of a grayish pisolitic 

 character, verj^ triable, with a dull black coating and composition. 



ISTickeliferous iron 10. 



Troillite 3. 



Chrome iron 0.15 



Olivine minerals 41.00 



Bronzite and pyroxene 46.00 



Cobalt — minute traces. 



* H A. N.^ in American Journal of Sciencp, Feb. 1877. t American Jouraal of Science. 

 II American Journal of Science, March, Wl. g American Journal of Science, Sept. 1877. 



