seen December 19, 1849. 359 



10°, or not exceeding 11°; when it burst it was due N. (true), 

 and continued to move 10° or 12° further before it disap- 

 peared. Professor Chevallier, who obligingly communicated 

 these results, states that the meteor appeared rather to rise as 

 it approached the north, but with a doubt. This supposition, 

 however, appears inadmissible, from the unanimity of the 

 other accounts. 



At Granton, near Edinburgh, Professor Kelland caught 

 sight of the meteor a little to the N. of the moon, and several 

 diameters below it. This corresponds, by after estimation 

 with a theodolite, to 75° W. of magnetic N., and an altitude 

 of 12°. Professor Kelland thinks that it rather rose after- 

 wards. It split into two at 20° E. of magnetic N., having 

 then an altitude of only 5°; it continued for a considerable 

 time bright, then began to fade, as if by the effect of distance, 

 and also to separate into several parts : it was finally lost sight 

 of 50° E. of magnetic N. (this bearing is well ascertained), 

 with an altitude estimated at only half a degree. The position 

 and circumstances of these observations, made at an elevated 

 station above the Frith of Forth, were eminently favourable. 



Mr. J. Stirling, civil engineer, looking up North Hanover 

 Street, Edinburgh, saw the meteor separate into two parts ; 

 the bearing he afterwards estimated at 25° E. of magnetic N. 

 (the probable error not exceeding 1°), and the altitude at 

 8° 30', certainly not exceeding 9°. 



I think we may conclude, that at Edinburgh the meteor 

 attained a maximum elevation of 15° (that mentioned in the 

 commencement of this paper), since it no doubt rose after 

 Professor Kelland first saw it to the S. of the true W., with 

 an altitude of only 12°. The course of the meteor was evi- 

 dently such as to be nearest the spectator when in the true 

 N.W. or W.N.W. 



The place of the meteor when it burst stands thus : — 



Kelland, N. 20° E. (mag.) Alt. 5°. 

 Stirling, N. 25° E. Alt. 8° 30'. 



Forbes, N. 29° E, Alt. 6°. 



The average is almost 25° E. of N., or about 1° W. of the 

 true meridian, the variation being nearly 26°. The mean of 

 the three observations of altitude would be 6° 30'; but admit- 

 ting Mr. Stirling's to be entitled to the greatest confidence, 

 we may suppose it 7°, or possibly a little more. 



At St. Andrews, the meteor was seen by Dr. Adam son, 

 when riding in a northerly direction on the Largo road. Pro- 

 fessor Fischer was so kind as to accompany him afterwards 

 to the spot, and to reduce his observations with all the accuracy 



