2 Silliman and Kingsley on the Weston Meteor of 1807. 
situation its appearance was distinct, and well defined, like that 
of the sun seen through a mist. It rose from the north, and 
proceeded in a direction nearly perpendicular to the horizon, 
but inclining, by a very small angle, to the west, and devia~ 
ting a little from the plane of a great circle, but in pretty 
large curves, sometimes on one side of the plane, and some- 
times on the other, but never making an angle with it of more 
than 4 or 5 degrees. Its apparent diameter was about one- 
half or two-thirds the apparent. diameter 
‘of the full moon. 
the lightning in a thunder storm, but rather like what is com- 
monly called heat lightning. 
ere it was not too much obscured by thick clouds, a waving 
conical train of paler light was seen to attend 
it, in length about 
10 or 12 diameters of the body. In the clear sky a brisk scin- 
tillation was observed about the body of the meteor, like that 
‘ “nd 
a burning firebrand carried against the w 
ind, 
It disappeared about 15 degrees short of the zenith, and about 
the same number of degrees west of the meridian. It did not 
vanish instantaneously, but grew, pretty rapidly, fainter and 
} Il woul i ling in the 
fainter, as ared hot cannon-ball would do, i 
dark, only with much more rapidity. 
cooling in 
There was no peculiar smell in the atmosphere, nor were any 
luminous masses seen to separate from the bod 
e whole 
eriod between its first appearance and total extinction, was 
estimated at about thirty seconds. 
About thirty or forty seconds after this, three loud and dis- 
tinct reports, like those of a four-pounder, near at hand, were 
heard. They succeeded each other with as much rapidity as 
was consistent with distinctness, and, altogether, did not occupy 
three seconds, Then followed a rapid succession of reports 
less loud, and running into each other, so as to produce a con- 
tinued rumbling, like that of a cannon-ball rolling over a floor, 
sometimes louder, and at other times fainter : some compared 
it to the noise of a wagon, running rapidly down a long and 
stony hill ; or, to a volley of musketry, protracted into what is 
called, in military language, a running fire. 
This noise contin- 
ued about as long as the body was in rising, and died away 
apparently in the direction from which the meteo i 
The accounts of others corresponded substantially with this. 
Time was difierently estimated by different people. Some aug- 
seem, in various instances, to have 
é of the phenomenon. 
_ mented the number of loud reports, and terror and imagination 
. 
every circumstance 
q 
