The Leonid Meteor Shower

Abstract

IF the recent observations proved that comparatively few meteors of this system were visible, they were interesting as showing the maximum to have occurred on the morning of the 15th, instead of on the morning of the 14th as expected. In 1879 I found the greatest density of the shower occurred some hours before its probable time, while in 1888 the best display came six hours later than I had been led to expect. Minor returns are, however, more difficult to determine as regards the exact period of maximum, and are likely to teach us little in this respect. The state of the sky, the altitude of the radiant, and the presence or absence of the moon have each an important effect on the visible aspect of a meteor shower, and render fair comparisons from year to year scarcely possible, the circumstances being rarely the same in two cases.