88 H. A. Newton on Shooting Stars in November, 1866. 
seen and in the brilliancy of the larger ones. 
23. At Greenwich.—According to an extract from the London 
Herald, the hourly numbers seen at the Greenwich observatory 
were as follows: 
95-10" 10 meteors, | 12*-1> 2032 meteors, | 3°45 528 meteors. 
15 ys 1-2 486 —5 40 sa 
was far inferior to the former, both in the number of meteors 
* 
11-12 168 = * 3 Gea. Total, 8485 “ 
24. Thickness of the group.—The inclination of the plane of 
the group to the ecliptic is probably about twice the latitude of 
the radiant, or 19°. The denser part of the shower was included 
in a period of about 1" 30™; and during this time the earth 
moved about 100,000 miles. The corresponding thickness of 
the group would be 100,000sin19°, or 33,000 miles. The den- 
sity gradually diminishes as we leave the center of the group, 
and the thickness, including these rarer portions would be much 
greater. 
25. Geographical limits of the shower.—The sun was vertical at 
12" 30" a.m. (Gr. time) in EH. lon. 1683°, S. lat. 184°. If thi 
time be taken for the beginning of the shower as a great dis- 
play, and if 10° be allowed for twilight, a line crossing the 
equator in HK. lon. 684° and running N. 18}° E. separated day- 
light from darkness and forms the eastern limit beyond which 
the shower was not probably visible. 
The radiant was vertical at 2" a.m. (which may be taken for 
Sse 
the end of the shower) in N, lat. 234°, E. lon. 65°. The west _ 
ern limit would be a great circle of which that point is a pole, 
to wit, a line crossing the equator in W. lon. 25°, and running 
N, 234° W. This line passes from Newfoundland through the 
center of the two Atlantic oceans. Regions west of this line 
were behind the earth throughout the shower. Along this line 
a few meteors with long paths were probably visible. 
26. If there shall be a shower in Nov. 1867 (and it is quite 
probable that there will be one), and if the group lies sensibly 
in a plane, these limiting lines would be removed 90° or 100° 
westward. But what curves in the line of the group have been 
produced by the perturbing action of the earth, of Jupiter, and of 
the other planets we cannot say. Such curves apparently exist, 
and may chamge the time of maximum, and therefore the re _ 
gion in which the shower may be expected next November. 
When full and authentic reports from English astronom 
shall be received I hope to resume the subject. 
* Proc, Man. Lit. and Phil, Soc, vi, 31. 
