842 H.. A, Newton on two Meteoric Fireballs. 
velocity is 80 or 85 miles a second. The heliocentric velocity is 
on this supposition 24 or 28 miles. The latter velocity would in- 
dicate a hyperbolic orbit. The least possible heliocentric vel 
for a body describing the given line is about 15 miles a secon 
3. Sounds heard after the explosion. 
Mr. W. ©. Kain, of Knoxville, says that three minutes after 
the meteor had vanished, a long, reverberating sound was heard, 
of at least a minute’s duration. 
Paris, Ky. It was said to have been followed by a dull heavy 
sound like thunder. é : 
As Paris is 125 miles from the place of explosion, the “sre 
of the sound may however be questioned. e above are the 
only reliable accounts which I have seen from those who 
the explosion. 
4. Magnitude of the body. 
It is most natural to measure the apparent size of a meteor ”, 
the moon’s disc. From such a comparison and the distance © 
the observer the diameter of the body is at once computed. »U 
the nearest point of the meteor’s path. : 
Knoxville, (50); head much larger than Mars. 
50); large as the moon, second ball not as large. 
ice: as Venus, grew to the size of the moop- 
(120); two feet in diameter, 
170); nearly as large as the moon. 
‘ * 
Sesss 
oo 
0); at first large as a man’s hand, grew to the size of the 
Ress), ik Man eteestg cs sete the a a, cocoanut. 
