[meteorite-list] 10-05-1887 Newspaper Article, Meteorite during meteor shower

From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:52:24 2004
Message-ID: <000001c24f12$cd0297a0$b1fc0f3f_at_bigcolle>

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Paper: La Porte City Progress

Location: La Porte City, IA

Date: 10-05-1887

IS IT A PIECE OF A COMET!

A Metallic Fragment from Another World

(W.E. Hidden, in the Century.)

There has recently come into my possession the ninth iron meteorite =
whose fall to the earth has been observed. It is, moreover, the first =
meteorite which seems to evidence a direct connection with a =
star-shower. The mass acquires still further interest from the fact that =
it is presumably a fragment of the famous comet of Biela.

A brief account of this celestial wanderer will doubtless be of interest =
to the readers of - The Century, in which magazine the essays of the =
astronomer Langley have recenly appeared.

Astronomers have waited patiently for the fall to the earth's surface, =
at the time of the periodical star-showers, of something tangible, but =
until now that have waited in vain.

In looking over a considerable amount of astronomical literature only =
one record can be found of the falling of a body to the earth at such a =
time; this war near Paris, on the 10th of April, 1094, when "many =
shooting-stars were seen and a very large one was said to have been =
found on the ground as a glowing substance.

>From the 24th to the 29th of November, 1885, the earth was passing =
through a train of meteors that procceded from the constellation =
Andromeda, and once formed a part of Biela's comet. These meteors are =
now known to astronomers as Andromedes or Bielids. The maximum of this =
shower occurred on the 27th, while it was yet broad daylight over =
America, and at an hour corresponding to 11 a.m. at Mazapil, Mexico. =
Thus, at this time of the fall of this meteorite, ten hours after the =
maximum number of meteors was observed, the earth was meeting with only =
the stragglers of the train. It cannot be doubted that the cosmical dust =
proceeding from the disintegration of Biela's comet wholly enveloped the =
earth and was seen as meteors from every part of it. Such was the =
magnificence of the celestial phenomenon that in some parts of the =
Eastern continent uneducated people believed there would be no stars =
left in the sky.

Of the countless host of meteors which crossed the earth's path on this =
26th of November, only one is as yet known to have reached the earth's =
surface, and this fell near the village of Mazapil, in the State of =
Zacztecas, Mexico, at about 9 o'clock in the evening. It is of the rare =
iron-nickel variety, and weighs ten and a quarter pounds troy.

This meteorite was presented to me by Sir. Jose A. Bonilla, =
Directoy-Professor of the Zacatecas Observatory, who recieved it, five =
days after its fall, from the ranchman who was it descend from the =
heavens. This ranchman related the strange occurrence as follows =
(translated from the Spanish):

"It was about 9 o'clock on the night of November 27, when I went out to =
the corral to feed certain horses; suddenly, I heard a loud sizzing =
noise, exactly as though something redhot was being plunged into cold =
water, and almost instantly there followed a somewhat load thud. At once =
the corral was coovered with a phosphorescent light, while suspended in =
the air were small luminous sparks as though from a rocket. I had not =
recovered from my surprize before I saw this luminous air disappear, and =
there remained on the ground only such a light as is made when a match =
is rubbed. A number of people came running toward me from the =
neighboring houses, and they assisted me in quieting the horses, which =
had became very much excited. We all asked each other what could be the =
matter, and we were afraid to walk in the corral for fear of being =
bured. When, in a few minutes, we had recovered from our fright, we saw =
the light disappear, and bringing lanterns to look for the cause, we =
found a hole in the ground and in it a ball of light. We retired to a =
distance, fearing it would explode and harm us. Looking up to the sky, =
we saw from time to time exhalations or stars which soon went out =
without noise. We returned after a little, and found in the hole a hot =
stone which we could barely handle; this on the next day, we saw, looked =
like a piece of iron. All night it rained stars, but we saw none fall to =
the ground, as they all seemed to be extinguished while yet very high =
up."

Upon further inquiry we learn that there was no explosion or detonation =
heard, and that the mass penetrated the earth only to a depth of twelve =
inches.

This very circumstantial account leads us to believe that this meteorite =
is the first one to be secured and preserved that has come to earth =
during a star-shower.=20


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<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>Paper: La Porte City Progress</P>
<P>Location: La Porte City, IA</P>
<P>Date: 10-05-1887</P>
<P>IS IT A PIECE OF A COMET!</P>
<P>A Metallic Fragment from Another World</P>
<P>(W.E. Hidden, in the Century.)</P>
<P>There has recently come into my possession the ninth iron meteorite =
whose=20
fall to the earth has been observed. It is, moreover, the first =
meteorite which=20
seems to evidence a direct connection with a star-shower. The mass =
acquires=20
still further interest from the fact that it is presumably a fragment of =
the=20
famous comet of Biela.</P>
<P>A brief account of this celestial wanderer will doubtless be of =
interest to=20
the readers of - The Century, in which magazine the essays of the =
astronomer=20
Langley have recenly appeared.</P>
<P>Astronomers have waited patiently for the fall to the earth's =
surface, at the=20
time of the periodical star-showers, of something tangible, but until =
now that=20
have waited in vain.</P>
<P>In looking over a considerable amount of astronomical literature only =
one=20
record can be found of the falling of a body to the earth at such a =
time; this=20
war near Paris, on the 10th of April, 1094, when "many shooting-stars =
were seen=20
and a very large one was said to have been found on the ground as a =
glowing=20
substance.</P>
<P>From the 24th to the 29th of November, 1885, the earth was passing =
through a=20
train of meteors that procceded from the constellation Andromeda, and =
once=20
formed a part of Biela's comet. These meteors are now known to =
astronomers as=20
Andromedes or Bielids. The maximum of this shower occurred on the 27th, =
while it=20
was yet broad daylight over America, and at an hour corresponding to 11 =
a.m. at=20
Mazapil, Mexico. Thus, at this time of the fall of this meteorite, ten =
hours=20
after the maximum number of meteors was observed, the earth was meeting =
with=20
only the stragglers of the train. It cannot be doubted that the cosmical =
dust=20
proceeding from the disintegration of Biela's comet wholly enveloped the =
earth=20
and was seen as meteors from every part of it. Such was the magnificence =
of the=20
celestial phenomenon that in some parts of the Eastern continent =
uneducated=20
people believed there would be no stars left in the sky.</P>
<P>Of the countless host of meteors which crossed the earth's path on =
this 26th=20
of November, only one is as yet known to have reached the earth's =
surface, and=20
this fell near the village of Mazapil, in the State of Zacztecas, =
Mexico, at=20
about 9 o'clock in the evening. It is of the rare iron-nickel variety, =
and=20
weighs ten and a quarter pounds troy.</P>
<P>This meteorite was presented to me by Sir. Jose A. Bonilla,=20
Directoy-Professor of the Zacatecas Observatory, who recieved it, five =
days=20
after its fall, from the ranchman who was it descend from the heavens. =
This=20
ranchman related the strange occurrence as follows (translated from the=20
Spanish):</P>
<P>"It was about 9 o'clock on the night of November 27, when I went out =
to the=20
corral to feed certain horses; suddenly, I heard a loud sizzing noise, =
exactly=20
as though something redhot was being plunged into cold water, and almost =

instantly there followed a somewhat load thud. At once the corral was =
coovered=20
with a phosphorescent light, while suspended in the air were small =
luminous=20
sparks as though from a rocket. I had not recovered from my surprize =
before I=20
saw this luminous air disappear, and there remained on the ground only =
such a=20
light as is made when a match is rubbed. A number of people came running =
toward=20
me from the neighboring houses, and they assisted me in quieting the =
horses,=20
which had became very much excited. We all asked each other what could =
be the=20
matter, and we were afraid to walk in the corral for fear of being =
bured. When,=20
in a few minutes, we had recovered from our fright, we saw the light =
disappear,=20
and bringing lanterns to look for the cause, we found a hole in the =
ground and=20
in it a ball of light. We retired to a distance, fearing it would =
explode and=20
harm us. Looking up to the sky, we saw from time to time exhalations or =
stars=20
which soon went out without noise. We returned after a little, and found =
in the=20
hole a hot stone which we could barely handle; this on the next day, we =
saw,=20
looked like a piece of iron. All night it rained stars, but we saw none =
fall to=20
the ground, as they all seemed to be extinguished while yet very high =
up."</P>
<P>Upon further inquiry we learn that there was no explosion or =
detonation=20
heard, and that the mass penetrated the earth only to a depth of twelve=20
inches.</P>
<P>This very circumstantial account leads us to believe that this =
meteorite is=20
the first one to be secured and preserved that has come to earth during =
a=20
star-shower. </P></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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Received on Tue 27 Aug 2002 11:18:32 PM PDT