272 



OBSERVATIONS UPON THE METEORS OF AUGUST. 



while the path was fresh in the memory. Care was also taken, in commencing^^ 

 to refresh the recollection by an inspection of the map, which was kept open 

 at hand during the observations. It is probably owing to onr having observed 

 and recorded three points of their direction, that we found the probable error 

 of a single observation, as well as of the point of convergence, so much less, 

 (as will appear in the table below,) than the results of the European observa- 

 tions of 1837 and 1839. Our mode of observing has caused a greater number 

 of the meteors seen to be rejected from the tables as unconformaUe, in proportion 

 to the whole number seen, than is reported in the European observations. 

 This had its effect upon the final result of the computations. 



An inspection of the table will show, that at Philadelphia, the radiant had 

 a tendency towards the S. E. This apparent motion of the radiant is in con- 

 formity with my memoranda, made last year, on the 10th and 11th of August, 



For the European results in this table, as well as for the statement of the 

 conclusions derived from the same by Mr. Erman of Berlin, (Nos. 385, 390 

 and 404, Schumacher's Astr. Nachr.,) I am indebted to Mr. Sears C. Walker. 

 The Philadelphia observations show an apparent motion of the radiant in the 

 heavens at variance with the conclusions of Mr. Erman, namely, that the 

 motion of the radiant should be in a westerly direction, at a rate not exceeding 

 0.1° of a great circle in an hour. 



Table II. 



Table of Right Ascension and Declination, of the Points of Convergence, of the 

 apparent Paths of the Meteors of August 9, 10, 11, in the Years 1837, 1839, 

 and IS40, from Observations at various Places. 























Places of Observation, and 



Dates. 





Apparent 

 lil. As. 



Apparent 

 Dec. 





£3 



11 



r 



Probable Error 

 final Result. 



1837, Berlin, August 10, . 







217°.18 



— 57°.26 



46 



±20.1 



± 2.96 



" Breslaw, " " 







221 .76 



— 51 .41 



200 



± 19.5 



± 1.38 



1839, Berlin, " 9, 







224 .86 



— 50 .18 



50 



± 11.9 



± 1.68 



" " 10, 







223 .88 



— 52 .39 



48 



± 13.3 



± 1.92 



" " " 11, 







218 .45 



— 51 .05 



43 



± 13.5 



± 2.06 



" Koningsberg, Augus 



K a a 



tio, 

 11, 





214 .85 



215 .11 



— 55 .59 



— 55 .29 



75 

 74 



±21.0 

 ± 17.4 



±2.42 

 ±2.02 



1840, Philadelphia, 



9d 1( 



)h 57m 



216 .14 



— 55 .76 



12 



± 2.3 



±0.67 



(( a ii 



9 K 



} 4 



214 .71 



— 55 .43 



15 



± 4.1 



± 1.05 



a ti (I 



9 1£ 



) 6 



219 .25 



— 55 .12 



29 



± 1.2 



±0.22 



