146 a ASTRONOMY. 
pland observed a magnificent fall of these bodies in 1799, and Brandes 
counted during one night, in a fifth part of the horizon, 480 shooting stars, 
from which he estimated the whole number, during the same time, at some 
thousands. Every one is familiar with the extraordinary showers which 
have appeared in America at various times. Benzenberg estimates the mean 
number appearing every night to be 30, 50, and even more. The train 
appearing behind the greater shooting stars deserves particular attention. 
Brandes has accurately observed and described the remarkable appearances 
presented by the last. 
The height of these bodies is very various; some of them seem tolerably 
near the earth, while others are beyond the outer layers of the atmosphere, 
assuming this at 80 to 120 geographical miles from the surface of the 
earth. 
The velocity of these meteors amounts, according to calculation based on 
observation, to between 16 and 32 miles in a second, thus reaching some- 
times twice the velocity of the motion of our earth in space. Olbers has first 
shown how the shape of their orbit can be determined. 
With regard to the substance of which the shooting stars are composed, 
nothing satisfactory is known. 
The Antipodes of our Earth; the Habitableness of the Worlds of the Solar 
System. 
64. The inhabitants of our earth may be considered, astronomically, under 
two points of view, namely, in respect to the degrees of latitude and longi- 
tude under which they live, and also in respect to the direction in which 
their shadow falls. By Antipodes is meant the inhabitants of that place on 
the earth’s surface lying the distance of a complete diameter of the globe 
from some other place, as, for instance, Leipzig. The antipodes have an 
opposite geographical latitude, and a geographical longitude differing by 180 
degrees; consequently, with the exception of those near the equator, an 
opposite time of year, and a time of day differing by 12 hours. Leipzig, for 
instance, has a north latitude of 51°, 20’, 20”, and a longitude 30°, 1’, 52” 
east of Ferro; the antipodes of Leipzig, therefore, must dwell on a part of 
the earth’s surface having a south latitude of 51°, 20’, 20”, and a longitude 
of 210°, 1’, 52” east of Ferro. This point, however, lies in the great 
southern ocean, and, consequently, there are no proper antipodes to 
Leipzig. 
Anteci (avr) are the inhabitants of two places on the earth’s surface, 
lying under the same meridian and at the same distance from the equator, 
but on opposite hemispheres. These have noon at the same time, but of 
course opposite seasons. At the two poles the antzci are also antipodes. 
Perieeci (region) are those persons, who, living under the same latitude, 
differ in longitude by 180°. They have consequently the same seasons, but 
their days differ by twelve hours. At the equator, antipodes and perieci are 
synonymous. 
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