OF A METEORIC EIRE-BALL. 25 



says that the time from the disruption of the meteor to its disappearance, as noted 

 by two observers at this place, was 90 to 100 seconds.^ 



Oysterbay Point, New York, No. 30. Observed by Dr. WilHam Stimpson, from 

 a vessel on the Sound, near this place, to pass near the zenith — " if anything, a 

 little north." 



Paterson, New Jersey, Lat. 40° 55', Lon. 74° 10'. Eeported time 9h. 40m. to 

 9h. 45m.2 



Peekskill, New York, Lat. 41° 18', Lon. 73° 57'. Mr. Connor, on the Hudson 

 River Railroad, opposite this place, and going north, saw the meteor ahead of him.^ 

 (Reported in the New York Herald, July 21, 1860.) 



Perth Amboy, New Jersey, No. 202. The observer, under the signature of " R. 

 M. C," reports the maximum altitude as 65°. 



Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Nos. 91, 143, and 148. The observer, A. Zumbrock, 

 in his report to the Smithsonian Institution, says that the meteor passed midway 

 between y and h Cassiopeite, parallel to a and y, which, he says, " would make its 

 altitude about 24°" — that its path from the azimuth of Polaris, where it was first 

 seen, to that of Cassiopeia, seemed horizontal ; from thence to Deneb downwards, 

 being about 2° lower at the latter azimuth. Time of passage from azimuth of 

 Polaris to that of Deneb, 5 to 6 seconds. Time of disappearance 9h. 43m. It 

 consisted of two parts.* By another observer's report the time was 9h. 30m. 



Pittsford, New York, No. 79. The observer, L. L. Nichols, reporting to the 

 Smithsonian Institution, says that the greatest altitude of the meteor was about 

 60°; that it was visible about 30 seconds, at about 10 o'clock P. M., and that it 

 described an arc of about 120°.^ 



Point au Barque, Michigan, Lat. 44° 4', Lon. 82° 57'. The information from 

 this place was obtained after much labor and many fruitless inquiries. The meteor 

 being supposed to have passed nearly through the zenith of Saginaw, letters 

 were addressed in the summer and autumn of 1860, to a number of persons re- 

 siding in that region and beyond, soliciting their aid in obtaining data with regard 

 to it. The request was kindly acceded to, and among others Rev. Dr. Duffield, of 

 Detroit, Dr. J. C. Willson, of Flint, Dr. Geo. B. Willson, of Marquette, Lieut. 

 Orlando M. Poe, of the U. S. Lake Survey, Dr. Seth L. Andrews, of Romeo, and, 

 through him, Dr. George A. Lathrop, of East Saginaw, gave particular at- 

 tention to the matter. For a long time the only information obtained was that 



* The calculated time from the disruption near the zenith of Ithaca to the point where it was last 

 seen by any reliable observer, is 69 seconds. 



° Calculated time of meridian passage 9h. 4'7m. 14 sec. 



' According to the calculated path the meteor passed 8 miles south of the zenith of Peekskill. 



■• In the calculations, a first disruption is assumed to have occurred just before the meteor came 

 in view, and a second while it was passing Cassiopeia — from Polaris to Cassiopeia the meteor rose 5', 

 according to the calculated path, and from thence to Deneb, fell 4° 28'. Time from Polaris to Cas- 

 siopeia, 6 seconds, and from thence to Deneb 8 seconds, reaching the latter at 9h. 43m. 22 sec 



' According to calculation the arc described in 30 seconds, as seen from Pittsford, was about 140°, 

 and the time of meridian passage 9h. 32m. 30 sec. 

 4 March, 1869. 



