[meteorite-list] Newspaper Article, 04-27-1860 Janesville

From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:07:03 2004
Message-ID: <OE423xbYiMCIqtQvAau000000fd_at_hotmail.com>

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Janesville Daily Gazette =20
Janesville, WI
Friday, July 27, 1860
Page: 1
>From the Spingfield (Mass.) Republican, July 23.
The Great Double Meteor
Those who were so fortunate as to be up and out at 10 o'clock on Friday e=
vening witnessed a meteoric display of unusual brilliancy and beauty. If =
it had been properly advertised, like the eclipse, it would have received=
 more general and appreciative attention. A meteor of peculiar form and r=
emarkable splendor moved across the sky from north-west to south-east, at=
 that hour, which, judging from descriptions giving it at points widely d=
istant, must have been a very great size. All observers agree in supposin=
g that it passed very near the earth, but the fact that it was seen at di=
stant points at the same moment and presented everywhere the same appeare=
nce, indicates that the eye was deceived by its size and brightness, and =
that it probably moved at a great elevation above the surface of the eart=
h. We have account of it from correspondents at Greenfield, Holyoke, Nort=
hampton and Westhampton, agreeubg substantially with the account we find =
of it in the papers of its appearance in Hartford, New Haven, Boston, New=
 York, Albany and Philadelphia.
As noticed at Springfield, the meteor appeared of a light blue color in t=
he northwest, of so decided a color as to give a blue tinge to the featur=
es and to the smooth surface of the river. It passed rapidly across the h=
eavens towards the south-east, at an elevation of about 45 degrees, conti=
nuing to grow brighter and to change to a bright red as it approached. Ju=
st before it reached the meridian it appeared to separate into two portio=
ns, throwing off at the same time brilliant sparks, which continued on wi=
th the large fragments,forming a splendid train. The entire time of trans=
it across th heavens is variously estimated at from half a minute to two =
minutes. Our Holyoke correspondent, who saw the meteor from a high hill w=
est of that village, describes the parts as appearing to take the form of=
 cones, the apex of one following the base of the other. The light of the=
 meteor when nearest appeared to be nearly equal to the full moon.
At some places people thought they heard a hissing sound from the meteor =
as it passed, and some describe the first cone as shooting fire balls fro=
m its small end into the base of the other, which passed through the seco=
nd cone and followed on its train behind; but both the hissing and these =
remarkable pyrotechnics may have been imaginary or very much assisted by =
the imagination. Some describe the meteor as being stationary for an inst=
ant before the explosion which separated it into two cones.
At some point, it was seen of a bright orange color,instead of red; other=
 descibe it as closely resembling red hot iron. At Bedford, N. Y., it is =
described as resembling "two halfs of fire or reversed spear heads, one b=
ehind the other, connected by a link of fire something like a chain-shot,=
 and followed by a steady train of disjointed, broken bars of light or el=
ongated sparks; the last ball gave out sparks of fire, most of them follo=
wing the train, one or two of the diverged, and were distinctly visible f=
or some seconds." At Philadelphia it is described as "several bodies of a=
 greenish hue; connected with a belt of flame; a long streamer of fire wa=
s in its wake." All agree that it moved mroe slowly than ordinary meteors=
, and that its progress was on that account very majestic and imposing. O=
f its actual hight none of the account give us the means of judging, and =
as it has probably quenched inself in the water of the Atlantic, its frag=
ments are not likely to be recovered to real any portion of its wonderful=
 story.
(From the Albany Evening Journal, July 23).
The meteor of Friday night was seen everywhere throughout this state and =
throughout New England, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It is in fact chroni=
cal in nearly every exchange paper that has reached us since. It was cert=
ainly visible over a tract a thousand miles in length and fire hundred in=
 width, and perhaps over a still larger one. Its size and distance cannot=
 be computed with any accuracy untill we know the most distant points at =
which it was visible. At is was in full view in Boston and Newport, it mu=
st also have been seen from the Ocean. We shall have to await the arrial =
of the vessels from sea before knowing how far East it was visible. How f=
ar West, South and North it could be seen, we shall soon learn from the m=
ails. All sorts of wild statements are put forth, one authority asserting=
 that it was not two hundred feet high, another several thousand miles. =20
When the extreme points at which it was observed are known, its heigh and=
 size can be computed. The exact height of the meteor may not, at first t=
hought, seem important, yet in reality it involves the whole theory as to=
 the nature of these phenomena. The commonly received scientific opinion =
is that they are solid bodies moving in space, which take on fire by comi=
ng in contact with the earth's atmosphere and are either consumed or else=
 extinguished by passing out of it. But this theory requires that all met=
eors shall be within fifty miles of the earth, since the atmosphere exten=
ds no higher. If meteors are proved to be more than fifty miles high, som=
e other theory must be devised to account for them. The present case, the=
refore, affords an excellent opportunity to test this question.
All these desciptions concur as to the appearance of the meteor, which se=
ems to have repsented precisely the same aspect wherever seen. There is a=
 discrepancy, however, as to its final disappearance, some avowing it to =
have been silent, others that it was accompanied by an explosion. This po=
int is worthy of careful examination. The precise time of its observation=
 at its different points, if compared, may throw some light on its distan=
ce and speed. Scientific men will do well to make the most of this meteor=
, as one of such magnitude and affording such facilities for investigatio=
n, hardly occurs twice in a lifetime.
>From the Cleveland Herald.
We gave accounts of the meteor as it went on its fiery way last Friday ev=
ening. It evidently was bearin earth-ward as it went east. At this point =
it was, when first seen, apparently emerging from a dense cloud, and was =
a ball of fire; then it gave out a distinct, well defined tail, and as it=
 passed along showed variegated colors. It was sufficiently luminous to c=
ause objects to cast shadows, for persons walking had their attention att=
racted upward by suppposing there was a flight of a rocket or other pyrot=
echnic display. But as seen from this point there was no explosion, and n=
o giving off of fragments.
Its transit here was, as near as can be ascertained, at quater past nine =
o'clock; at Buffalo at half past nine; at and near New York the accounts =
generally say it appeared a few minutes before ten. Allowing thirty minut=
es as different of time between this and New York, there was an acutal di=
fference of five, ten or fifteen minutes.

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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV><FONT size=3D2=
> <P>Janesville Daily Gazette</FONT><FONT size=3D3> </FONT></P><FONT face=
=3DArial size=3D2> <P>Janesville, WI</P> <P>Friday, July 27, 1860</P> <P>=
Page: 1</P></FONT><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D2> <P>From the Sp=
ingfield (Mass.) Republican, July 23.</P> <P>The Great Double Meteor</P> =
<P>Those who were so fortunate as to be up and out at 10 o'clock on Frida=
y evening witnessed a meteoric display of unusual brilliancy and beauty. =
If it had been properly advertised, like the eclipse, it would have recei=
ved more general and appreciative attention. A meteor of peculiar form an=
d remarkable splendor moved across the sky from north-west to south-east,=
 at that hour, which, judging from descriptions giving it at points widel=
y distant, must have been a very great size. All observers agree in suppo=
sing that it passed very near the earth, but the fact that it was seen at=
 distant points at the same moment and presented everywhere the same appe=
arence, indicates that the eye was deceived by its size and brightness, a=
nd that it probably moved at a great elevation above the surface of the e=
arth. We have account of it from correspondents at Greenfield, Holyoke, N=
orthampton and Westhampton, agreeubg substantially with the account we fi=
nd of it in the papers of its appearance in Hartford, New Haven, Boston, =
New York, Albany and Philadelphia.</P> <P>As noticed at Springfield, the =
meteor appeared of a light blue color in the northwest, of so decided a c=
olor as to give a blue tinge to the features and to the smooth surface of=
 the river. It passed rapidly across the heavens towards the south-east, =
at an elevation of about 45 degrees, continuing to grow brighter and to c=
hange to a bright red as it approached. Just before it reached the meridi=
an it appeared to separate into two portions, throwing off at the same ti=
me brilliant sparks, which continued on with the large fragments,forming =
a splendid train. The entire time of transit across th heavens is various=
ly estimated at from half a minute to two minutes. Our Holyoke correspond=
ent, who saw the meteor from a high hill west of that village, describes =
the parts as appearing to take the form of cones, the apex of one followi=
ng the base of the other. The light of the meteor when nearest appeared t=
o be nearly equal to the full moon.</P> <P>At some places people thought =
they heard a hissing sound from the meteor as it passed, and some describ=
e the first cone as shooting fire balls from its small end into the base =
of the other, which passed through the second cone and followed on its tr=
ain behind; but both the hissing and these remarkable pyrotechnics may ha=
ve been imaginary or very much assisted by the imagination. Some describe=
 the meteor as being stationary for an instant before the explosion which=
 separated it into two cones.</P> <P>At some point, it was seen of a brig=
ht orange color,instead of red; other descibe it as closely resembling re=
d hot iron. At Bedford, N. Y., it is described as resembling "two halfs o=
f fire or reversed spear heads, one behind the other, connected by a link=
 of fire something like a chain-shot, and followed by a steady train of d=
isjointed, broken bars of light or elongated sparks; the last ball gave o=
ut sparks of fire, most of them following the train, one or two of the di=
verged, and were distinctly visible for some seconds." At Philadelphia it=
 is described as "several bodies of a greenish hue; connected with a belt=
 of flame; a long streamer of fire was in its wake." All agree that it mo=
ved mroe slowly than ordinary meteors, and that its progress was on that =
account very majestic and imposing. Of its actual hight none of the accou=
nt give us the means of judging, and as it has probably quenched inself i=
n the water of the Atlantic, its fragments are not likely to be recovered=
 to real any portion of its wonderful story.</P> <P></P> <P>(From the Alb=
any Evening Journal, July 23).</P> <P>The meteor of Friday night was seen=
 everywhere throughout this state and throughout New England, New Jersey =
and Pennsylvania. It is in fact chronical in nearly every exchange paper =
that has reached us since. It was certainly visible over a tract a thousa=
nd miles in length and fire hundred in width, and perhaps over a still la=
rger one. Its size and distance cannot be computed with any accuracy unti=
ll we know the most distant points at which it was visible. At is was in =
full view in Boston and Newport, it must also have been seen from the Oce=
an. We shall have to await the arrial of the vessels from sea before know=
ing how far East it was visible. How far West, South and North it could b=
e seen, we shall soon learn from the mails. All sorts of wild statements =
are put forth, one authority asserting that it was not two hundred feet h=
igh, another several thousand miles. </P> <P>When the extreme points at w=
hich it was observed are known, its heigh and size can be computed. The e=
xact height of the meteor may not, at first thought, seem important, yet =
in reality it involves the whole theory as to the nature of these phenome=
na. The commonly received scientific opinion is that they are solid bodie=
s moving in space, which take on fire by coming in contact with the earth=
's atmosphere and are either consumed or else extinguished by passing out=
 of it. But this theory requires that all meteors shall be within fifty m=
iles of the earth, since the atmosphere extends no higher. If meteors are=
 proved to be more than fifty miles high, some other theory must be devis=
ed to account for them. The present case, therefore, affords an excellent=
 opportunity to test this question.</P> <P>All these desciptions concur a=
s to the appearance of the meteor, which seems to have repsented precisel=
y the same aspect wherever seen. There is a discrepancy, however, as to i=
ts final disappearance, some avowing it to have been silent, others that =
it was accompanied by an explosion. This point is worthy of careful exami=
nation. The precise time of its observation at its different points, if c=
ompared, may throw some light on its distance and speed. Scientific men w=
ill do well to make the most of this meteor, as one of such magnitude and=
 affording such facilities for investigation, hardly occurs twice in a li=
fetime.</P> <P>From the Cleveland Herald.</P> <P>We gave accounts of the =
meteor as it went on its fiery way last Friday evening. It evidently was =
bearin earth-ward as it went east. At this point it was, when first seen,=
 apparently emerging from a dense cloud, and was a ball of fire; then it =
gave out a distinct, well defined tail, and as it passed along showed var=
iegated colors. It was sufficiently luminous to cause objects to cast sha=
dows, for persons walking had their attention attracted upward by supppos=
ing there was a flight of a rocket or other pyrotechnic display. But as s=
een from this point there was no explosion, and no giving off of fragment=
s.</P> <P>Its transit here was, as near as can be ascertained, at quater =
past nine o'clock; at Buffalo at half past nine; at and near New York the=
 accounts generally say it appeared a few minutes before ten. Allowing th=
irty minutes as different of time between this and New York, there was an=
 acutal difference of five, ten or fifteen minutes.</P></FONT><BR><BR></D=
IV></BODY></HTML>

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Received on Tue 22 Oct 2002 11:19:56 PM PDT