190 H. A. Newton on the Meteor of November, 1859. 
The meteor was no doubt seen at Alexandria much sooner 
than at New Haven. Iam inclined to think that the reported 
altitude of its first appearance is less correct than the inclina- 
tion. Taken strictly, the visible are corresponds to a distance of 
522 miles on the meteor’s path. Buta change of one degree in 
the place of first appearance might diminish this nearly 80 miles. 
hen first seen at x ew Haven, it had an altitude of 17° 25! at — 
Alexandria. If the altitudes had been estimated, and not meas- 
ured, the 17° 25’ might be considered 40°. But the method em- 
ployed, that of directing an instrument to that point in the heay- 
ens, seems well fitted to give tolerably correct results. Though 
we cannot determine the distance passed over by the meteor 
while in view, yet it is evident that Mr. Martin saw it much 
sooner than Judge Boardman. If we were to allow an error of 
15° in the place of first appearance, the length of the visible 
path of the meteor would be at the least 90°8 miles. If in addi- 
tion, an error of 5° be allowed in the direction of the meteor’s 
path, the length would not be less than 70 miles. If even the 
™meteor’s path was 10°, and the place of first appearance 15° in 
error, the visible path would be 57 miles. 
ese last errors seem very much greater than can be allowed. 
Mr. Hallowell says, “I cannot believe the body could possibly 
have had a less altitude than 35° at the time it was first seen.” 
Ten degrees change in the direction of the metcor’s path would 
carry it about 8° towards the vertical as seen from New Haven 
and New York city, a change which I think the observations 
- would hardly allow. 
i. 1€ ashington observers, to some extent confirm the Alex- 
andria observation. One says it appeared first at an elevation of 
50°. Dr. Mackie says that the meteor had a luminous train eX 
tending vertically 15° to 20°. When first seen, its base was 
about 30° from the horizon. The point where it was first seen, 
a Boardman, would have, at Washington, an altitude of 
the least velocity over 18 miles a second. The New York city 
observers, reported by Prof. Loomis, saw about the same amount 
of the meteor’s path, as J udge Boardman. “The entire period of 
visibility did not exceed one or two seconds.” The velocity them 
