456 



Marvels of the Universe 



apparently to emerge. When the case is one of a stony meteorite, the unequal heating must result 

 in chipping and flaking, and fragments may flv off with a series of small explosions. 



Great as the Cranbourne meteorite is, its size has been considerably exceeded by one found in 



western Greenland, and b3- another which is still remaining at 



El Ranchito, in Mexico. The 

 former mass, \\'hich measures 

 eleven feet long, weighs thirty- 

 six and a half tons, and was 

 brought from Melyille Bay to 

 New York, where it is now 

 preserved. The Mexican mass, 

 which is thirteen feet long, 

 has been estimated to weigh 

 no less than fifty tons. These 

 two meteorites are, in fact, the 

 largest known. 



When we consider such 

 enormous world-fragments as 

 they were before reaching our 

 atmosphere, we cannot help 

 regarding them as comparable 

 with small planetoids, travel- 

 hng, as we now know, in 

 an exceedingly elongated orbit 

 around the sun. There is 

 no doubt that they are made 

 up of the same chemical 

 elements as those which have 

 gone to form all other mem- 

 bers of our solar system. No 

 new elements ha-\-e been found 

 in them, whereas thirtj'-two 

 of our own elements have 

 been recognized in them. 

 Speculation as to their origin 

 has been to a great extent 

 set at rest by the aid of 

 the spectroscope, and there 

 is little doubt that meteorites, 

 shooting-stars, comets' tails 

 and the rings of Saturn are 

 made up of the same materials, 

 whilst the two latter consist 

 of enormous numbers of 

 meteorites whirling around 



their respective orbits, and possibly giving rise to luminous haze bj' constant collision and the heat 



engendered by it. 



Careful scrutiny of the paths of well-known comets has shown that they are identical with those 



of well-recognized meteor-showers. The inference is at once seen that meteor-showers will occur 



when the earth passes through a comet's tail or the path along which a comet has passed. This 



Pholo Itjl 



A STONY METEORITE. 



With a Meteorite of this nature, the fusion caused 

 unequal, and results in much chipping and flaking of the £ 

 may fly off with a series of small explosions. 



[//. /. Slieps/one. 



passage to earth is 

 and these fragments 



