178 



M. Queteht on Shooting Slavs. 



[Jan. 



tervals, with a view to determine their mean height, their velocity, and 

 what belonged to the nature of their trajectory. In 1823, Brand es, 

 seconded by a tolerable number of observers placed in ditferent sta- 

 tions, resumed the same Vi^ork. At nearly the same time (1824), 1 un- 

 dertook, with the aid of from twelve to fifteen persons, similar observa- 

 tions, which were made at Brussels, Ghent, and Liege. I know not 

 whether other regular observations of the same nature have been made 

 since. Only, at my request, seconded by Sir John Herschel, the Eng- 

 lish scientific men assembled at Cambridge in 1834, thought proper to 

 propose this subject of inquiry in the list of objects worthy to engnge 

 the attention of observers. The Royal Academy of Brussels has just 

 come to a similar resolution. 



Now, combining the results of the observations made in Germany 

 and in Belgium, the following are the principal conclusions which may 

 be deduced from them. 



1. The height at which shooting stars appear varies within very 

 wide limits ; nevertheless the mean height may be considered as being 

 from 15 to 20 leagues of about 20 to a degree, that is to say, near 

 about the limits of our atmosphere. The two series of observations 

 made in Germany gave ; 



SHOOTING STARS. 



HEIGHT, 



In 1798. 



In 18-23. 



Total. 



i to 3 German Miles... 



1 



4 



5 





2 



15 



17 







22 



25 





6 



35 



41 



15 to 20 



2 



13 



15 





2 



11 



13 







3 



4 







1 



1 



60 





1 



1 







1 



1 



2. Shooting stars have in general a direction inclined towards the 

 surface of the earth. Of 36 computed trajectories, Brandes found 26 

 descending ones, 9 ascending, and 1 horizontal; 13 formed an angle 

 of less than 45^ with the vertical ; 14 were between 45o and the 

 horizon; 8 between the horizon and 135o; and only 1 was still more 



