84 
SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
ASTRONOMY. 
The recent Shower of Meteors. — The shower of meteors which took place 
on the evening of November 27 must be regarded as the most interesting 
astronomical event of the quarter. In splendour the display fell considerably 
short of the shower of November 13-14, 1866, few of the meteors being 
large, but in number the earlier display was far surpassed. In places where 
the sky was clear, it is probable that between 5.30 and midnight some 
15,000 meteors could have been seen in this coimtry. But in Italy Signor 
Denza estimates the number at 33,400. All the accounts agree in placing 
the radiant near y Andromedse, between this star and 51. The most . 
interesting circumstance of the shower is its presumed, we might almost 
say its undoubted connection, with Biela’s comet. This was first announced 
(so far as we know) in the columns of the “ Daily News,” on Monday, 
December 1, and at that time some doubts were expressed as to the reality 
of the connection. But at the meeting of the “ Ro}"al Astronomical 
Society,” on December 13, a paper by Mr. Hind was read, in which it was 
announced that while the best determinations of the radiant assigned its 
position as in R.A. Ih. 44m. and N.P.D. 46°, the calculated position for 
the radiant of bodies following in the track of Biela’s comet was in R.A. 
Ih. 41m., and N.P.D. 48° — an agreement so close as to leave no room for 
doubt as to the real connection between the comet and the meteors. It is 
worthy of notice that Prof. Alex. Herschel had, in the supplementary num- 
ber of the “ Notices of the Astronomical Society,” expressed the opinion 
(first suggested by Weiss and d’Aerest) that meteors following on the 
track of Biela’s comet would be seen late in November. 
Search for Biela's Comet. — It was hoped that during the present 
perihelion passage of this interesting object, astronomers would be able to 
detect at least the brighter of the two comets, into which, what was formerly ! 
called Biela’s comet divided itself in 1846. But although Mr. Hind pub- ' 
lished three ephemerides, calculated on different hypotheses as to the date I 
of perihelion passage, the comet was not seen. It seems little likely that it 1 
will ever again be recognised as a comet, though, as we have seen, the mete- ; 
oric train which is associated with it is capable of producing showers of | 
considerable magnificence. ' 
Origin of the November Meteors or Leonides. — Mr. Proctor has advanced a I 
