450. Scientific Intelligence. 
4th. That the —_ group form what may be considered a ring, or 
disk, around the 
The region ve emanation has not great length in the great circle 
through it and that point of the heavens to which the earth is mov ing. 
Hence the velocities of the mr meteors, of the same year, and of 
7 years, are nearly the 
region of emanation ae not great length in the great circle 
Pie it and the sun, Hence the tangents to the individual orbits 
make nearly the same angles with the sun’s radius vector. 
It follows that the elements of the individual orbits are nearly the 
same, and hence the probable conclusion that the meteors form a ring, 
— not a disk of great breadth in its own plane: If the breadth is very 
approximate data for determining this orbit. 
’ Let EMS be a triangle on the celestial — rm the point to which 
the earth is moving, S the sun’s place, M/ the m M 
sun. Since the motion from M’ is the resultant of 
the motions of the earth and the meteors, E, M’, and s 
M, are in the same great circle. The place of M’ is ® 
found by observation, and if the mean value be taken there -_ agi 
correction for the earth’s —— os om the — M’, and 
attraction. ~ the law of composition of 1 motions 
2v0" v'sin E in E. ] 
cosSM=sin EMcosE, and tanS=sinEtanEM. But § (or a—S) 1s 
the inclination of the ring to the ecliptic, and SM the angle which its 
tangent makes with the sun’s radius vector. These with the value of 
give the elements of the ring. 
Assuming M’ to be at R. A. 42°, N. P. D. 34°, E to be in the eclipti ic 
at R. A. 46° 80/, v’’ as above equal to 26°6, and »v (including the earth’s 
rotation) — to 18: 9 miles a second, we find, 
v= 16°8, SM =78°. 
Sk = 78° EM — Bat M =84°. si 
These give for the ring’s semimajor axis 0°84, for its ellipticity 0°28, 
perihelion distance 0°60, its pat pe ‘96°, and the periodic time 281 days. 
The ellipticity cannot be less than cosSM, which is near 0°20. 
The inclination of the ring to the ecliptic must be greater than 60°. For 
the greatest value of o/ is 26°7 miles a second, that which belongs to & 
parabolic orbit. This with the radiant above assumed makes ESM 765" : 
That E less than 60°, the dec. of M/ must be reduced to 52 40/, 
which appears hardly admissible. On the other hand to give ESM a value 
greater than 120° — require that v” be less than 16°7, or the observ 
velocity less than per second. The observations of Messrs. 
