OF A METEORIC FIRE-BALL. 3 



during all this time, was surrounded by a faint oblong luminosity, which extended 

 itself somewhat between the two, and thus caused the compound meteor greatly to 

 resemble a dumb-bell. 



"On its first appearance, or emergence from the cloud, it was devoid of a train; 

 but after its separation, as above described, a luminous haze was observed to shoot 

 out behind it, which, as the meteor proceeded on its course, gradually extended 

 itself, until it had attained a length of 2°. From, the extremity of this tail sparks 

 were occasionally dropped. 



" As the meteor advanced to the east, the hindmost ball was gradually consumed, 

 and the foremost continually grew dimmer, until, at an altitude of 5°, the entire 

 body faded from view." " As respects its azimuth at the moment of disappearance, 

 reliable observers differ considerably. Thus, one of our students, who made his 

 observations with especial reference to the determination of this point, reports 

 55|°E., while my friend A. Jamieson, Esq., from whose country seat the meteor 

 Avas carefuUy observed, designates a point which I find by instrumental measure- 

 ment to have an eastern azimuth of 82°.^ 



. " The entire time this wonderful body was in view has been, beyond question, 

 greutly overrated, very few persons being able, without the aid of a time-piece, to 

 estimate correctly the lapse of a minute. On this point, therefore, I have made a 

 series of experiments with several who witnessed the entire passage of the meteor, 

 and am satisfied it was not in view more than 30 seconds, if, indeed, so long. We 

 noted carefully the time of its disappearance, viz. : 9h. 38m. P.M."^ 



Amherst, Massachusetts, Nos. 101 and 154. These observations were made by 

 Prof. H. S. Kelsey, who says : " The meteor appeared in the N.W., and disap- 

 peared almost precisely in the S.E. At its highest point it was 16° above the 

 horizon. Diameter of the largest part, 20'. In sight from 60 to 75 seconds. Its 

 path seemed to me to be a straight line, or very nearly so. I did not see it till it 

 had divided. It was in four parts." " When I lost sight of it, it was about 2° 

 above the horizon."^ 



Avmi, Ohio, Lat. 41° 27', Lon. 82° 4'. Observed by Rev. L. F. Ward, and 

 records made at the time, which were subsequently lost. At the request of the 

 writer, however, he was so kind as to go with a theodolite to the place from which 

 he observed it, and take the estimated bearings and altitudes. But it must have 

 been a different meteor that he saw, as it passed south of him. 



Baldwinsville, New York, No. 16. Observed by John Bowman, who says: "I 

 had an excellent opportunity to get its altitude from a tree in my yard, where it 



' The discrepancy is satisfactorily explained in a subsequent note from Mr. Hallowell, in which he 

 states the latter observation was made from " a very elevated point," while the former was made 

 from the shore of the Potomac. 



= The calculations give for the interval between the first and last observations, 3T seconds ; and for 

 the time of disappearance, 9h. 35m. 45s. P.M. 



' According to the calculated path, the altitude of the meteor when due southeast, was 6° 44', 

 and the time from the first explosion, 54 seconds. The observation can be better satisfied in both 

 particulars by supposing the azimuth to have been about S. 53° E. ; for then the calculated altitude 

 would be about 3°, and the time from the first explosion about 80 seconds. 



