OP A METEORIC riRE -BALL 29 



meridian — passed 3° or 4° south of the Eagle, and disappeared at an altitude of 

 about 30°, having been in sight about a minute.^ 



South Danvers, Massachusetts, No. 46. Observed by Mr. Marsh, one mile west 

 of the town, who says the meteor passed below Mars about one-^third of the way 

 down to the horizon. 



SoutJiold, New York, Lat. 41° 2', Lon. 72° 30'. Eeported time about 10 o'clock 

 P.M.'' 



Siaten Island, New York, Lat. 40° 35', Lon. 74° 10' Eeported time 9h. 45m. 

 to 9h. 50m.3 



Stratford, Connecticut, Lat. 41° 11', Lon. 73° 8'. Eeported time about 10 

 o'clock P. M.* 



Sudbury, Vermont, No. 225. The observer, under the signature "J. H.," 

 says the meteor was first seen W.N.W., and disappeared a few degrees east of 

 south ; that it was visible 30 to 40 seconds, and that it resembled Mars so much 

 that some of the spectators, mistaking the latter for it, exclaimed that it was 

 standing still.* 



Syracuse, New York, Lat. 43° 1', Lon. 76° 12'. Eeported time 9h. 40m.*' 



Tarrytown, New York, Lat. 41° 7', Lon. 73° 57'. The observer reports that the 

 meteor appeared to separate at an altitude of about 60°, and that it was visible a 

 little more than one minute. 



Toronto, Canada West, Nos. 57 and 118. Communicated by G. T. Kingston, of 

 the Magnetic Observatory, as follows, under date of August 31, 1860: — 



" I did not see the great meteor of July 20th, and as I left Toronto early next 

 morning, on a visit to the country for some weeks, I had no opportunity of question- 

 ing such persons as had casually seen it, till after my return. The observer on 

 duty at the time was in the ofiice, and was unable, therefore, to give any independ- 

 ent testimony with regard to it ; and the few persons that it has been in my power 

 to question, were evidently not much accustomed to take accurate note of such 

 phenomena. However, as far as I can learn, the following were the facts : — 



" The meteor appeared about 9h. 30m. P. M., Toronto mean time, and was visi- 

 ble (including partial interruptions by clouds) about 15 seconds. Its diameter was 

 nearly equal to that of the full moon, and its light was considerably more brilliant. 

 It appeared first at a point bearing S.S.W. from Toronto, and at an elevation of 

 about 50° ; it then seemed to move in a direction from W.N.W. to E.S.E., nearly 

 parallel to the horizon, and disappeared at a point bearing S.S.E., with an altitude 

 about 45°. It was not seen to separate into two or more parts. The view was 



* According to the calculated path, the meteor passed 20 miles south of the zenith, and the interval, 

 from the time of the first observation till its eastern altitude was 30°, was 31 seconds. 



= Calculated time of meridian passage at Southold, 9h. 54m. 4 sec. 



' Ibid., Staten Island, 9h. 4Tm. 14 sec. ' Ibid., Stratford, 9h. 51m. 28 sec. 



^ According to the calculated path, the azimuth of the meteor, 40 seconds before it passed that 

 of Mars, was W.S.W., at an altitude of about 10° ; but at no time could it have been "W.N.W." 

 May there not be a mistake of a letter in the record ? 



* Calculated time of meridian passage at Syracuse 9b. 38m. 53 sec. 



