SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 43 
That is, the number of degrees rise of temperature is the square 
of the times the velocity contains 125 feet. 
Allowing that our shooting star was one of the slowest, its 
velocity only 8 miles per second, its temperature was raised 
—— | — 11419 degrees; more than three times the 
temperature at which even platinum melts. 
It seems therefore, that whatever the shooting star’s sub- 
stance it is quickly raised to glowing heat; that if solid it is 
soon; melted and vaporized—the melted matter being swept off 
by the rush through the air, forming the luminous train until 
none is left, when comes its sudden extinction. Its cooled 
vapors and ashes mingle with the air, and the dust-like débris 
slowly settles to the earth’s surface. 
Number Daily 
Simple means will serve to effect a fairly accurate count of 
the number of shooting stars visible at a given place during a 
definite period. 
At a selected station in an open space erect a pole 6 feet high. 
Trace from it on the ground two lines diverging 45 degrees 
half a right angle. On each line, at a distance of 6 feet from 
