The Great Meteoric Shower

Abstract

A VERY well sustained shower of meteors was observed here and at many other stations in the early part of Wednesday evening last, Nov. 27. Unfortunately, however, the weather was very unfavourable for observation at this city, and but very few of the meteors constituting the “shower” came under my notice. The first shooting star was noticed at 5h. 50m. It was a very brilliant one, and must have equalled Venus when at her maximum. This meteor passed down the northern sky near Dubhe, in Ursa Major, and left sparks in its flight. Very soon afterwards—at about 5h. 55m.—four other bright meteors, succeeding each other very rapidly, were visible. The most remarkable fact in connection with them was the great coincidence in their apparent courses among the stars. They all appeared to diverge from a point westward a few degrees from Polaris, and passing downwards became extinct in Ursa Major. At 6h. 5m. I commenced a careful watch of the sky in conjunction with a friend, and during the interval from that time until 6h. 30m. seventy-four additional meteors came under our observation. At 6h. 30m. the sky was much overcast, and though all the stars were invisible, yet for a short time subsequently I saw several flashes of light in some portion of the heavens, which must have been originated by the bursting of meteors of considerable magnitude. During the time that I was enabled to witness the appearance of meteors, the sky was very much obscured by clouds and niist which rendered nearly all the stars imperceptible. I could, however, faintly see Polaris, Vega, α and β Persei, δ and α Cassiopeiæ, and γ Andromedæ;, and was enabled from the paths of the various meteors seen, to find the exact situation of the radiant point. This was situated at a place between Perseus and Andromeda, and about 5° north of the brilliant star Almaach (γ) in the latter constellation. This is at Right Ascension 1h. 56m. Declination 46° North. I saw several meteors in close proximity to this point. They had very short paths. I also noticed two meteors which were apparently quite stationary, and after brightening disappeared. The largest that were seen passed between Ursa Minor and Ursa Major, and several were also noticed in the neighbourhood of± Lyras (Vega). No shooting stars were seen in the western sky, as it was overcast. I did not notice any trail of light after the disappearance of any of the brightest meteors, nor did I hear any noise as of an explosion, subsequently to the extinction of any one of them. I principally directed my attention to the accurate determination of the radiant point, and to the numbers of meteors visible.