An account of a surprizing meteor: seen in the air March 19. 1718/19. at night. Containing, I. A description of this meteor, from the original letters of those who saw it in different places. ... By William Whiston, M.A. ...

II. I shall now give the Reader faithful Accounts of other Phaenomena of the like Nature with this Meteor before us, so far as they have hitherto come to my Hand.

(1.) The first Meteor of this kind that I have met with as seen in this last Age (for of the elder Ones we have generally such imperfect Accounts, and that chiefly as Omens only, that little Light can be gather|ed from them, to any sober Enquirer's Satisfaction) is that mentioned by Dr. Hook, in these Words.

* 1.1A like Phaenomenon to that in Italy 1676, says he, was some 10 Years before observ'd, both here in England and in Holland. It was seen by Sir Rob. Murray, if I mis-remember not, and by Mr. Shortgrave; and I think, also by Mons. Hugens in Holland. It was as big as the Italian Meteor, and was judg'd to be of an exceeding great Height in the Atmo|sphere; being seen at Places so far distant at the same time. It appeared first about the North-East, and pas|sed by the North-West; not rising, as I remember, so high, as 10 Degrees above the Horizon.

(2.) The second Meteor of this kind, that I have met with was, in the Words of the same Dr. Hook

* 1.2A Fax, or Lam|pas volans, observ'd after Sun-set, the 1 st of March 1676, at Fau—by Petrus de Lavina; at Rome, by Monsieur Auzout; at Florence, by Matthias del Arpi; at Venice, by Jo. Jacob Hertz; and in several other Cities of Italy: In all which it was seen also by very many others: And at the same time also, was observ'd in the lower Parts of Germany; as at Triers, by the Jesuits there; Places very far distant from one another; and yet the Time and Manner of the Appearance in all was much the same. It seemed to rise out of the North-East, and to pass by the Me|ridian to the South-West Parts of the Heavens, near the same Tract that the Sun had gone that Day; and disappear'd behind thick Clouds, where, with a mighty Noise, it was suppos'd to be blown to pieces and dispers'd. It appeared about the Bigness of the Full Moon, and left behind it a Tail about three Diameters, of a reddish Flame at first, but turning blewish towards the last. It lasted about a Mi|nute or two. Its Noise at last was like the Noise of an Earthquake at a Distance, and made the Glass in the Windows shake. From the comparing several Obser|vations 'twas suppos'd about 90 Miles high, and near a Mile in Diameter.

N.B. This must, in all Probability, be the very same Meteor which Montanari, the great Mathematician at Bononia saw, and exactly measur'd; of which pre|sently. For it was seen in the same Year, in the same Month, at the same time of the Night, in the same Countries, and passed along the very same Course, and was of the same Bigness; as will appear immediate|ly. How the Day of the Month, March 1 for March 21, comes to be mistaken, I do not certainly know; on|ly if they were both meant of the same Style, it is very easily accounted for.

N.B. The real Altitude therefore of this Meteor was not 90 Mile, as 'tis here in general stated; but about 38 Miles rather, as Montanari particularly measur'd it; as we shall now see.

(2.) The Third, or rather the same Second Meteor of this kind I have met with, is that on March 21. 1676, about an Hour and three quar|ters after Sun-set, exactly, to a few Mi|nutes, within two Days of 43 Years before the last; which was an eminent one indeed, and was particularly ob|serv'd at Bononia, by that great Mathematician Monta|nari. "It came over the Adriatick, says Dr. Halley in his Extract from him,

* 1.3"as from Dalmatia; crost over Italy; and became nearly Vertical to Rimini and Le|ghorn: Its perpendicular Altitude was, at least, 38 Miles; it made a hissing Noise as it passed, which was heard near its Course: From Leghorn it went off to Sea, towards Corsica: And at Leghorn it was heard to give a very great Blow, beyond the Noise of a great Cannon; with a Rattling, which conti|nued about a Minute or two. Its Velocity was not less than 160 Miles in a Minute: It was of an oval Shape: At 50 Miles Distance, its lesser Diameter was as large to the Eye as the Moon's Diameter, and its larger above half as big again; so that its real lesser Diameter was above half a Mile, and the o|ther more than three quarters of a Mile.

(3.) The next Meteor of this kind, was that mentio|ned by Dr. Wallis, Sept. 20. 1676. about 7 at Night, which he describes thus;

* 1.4"There appeared a sudden Light, equal to that of Noon-day, so that the smallest Pin or Straw might be seen lying on the Ground; and above in the Air was seen, (at no great Distance, as was suppos'd,) a long Appearance as of Fire; like a long Arm, with a great Knob at the End; for so it was de|scribed to the Dr. (who did not himself see it;)

shooting along very swiftly: And at its disappear|ing seem'd to break into small Sparks or Parcels of Fire, like as Rockets, and such artificial Fire-works in the Air are wont to do. 'Twas so surprizing, and of so short continuance, that it was scarce seen by any who did not then happen to be abroad; and lasted only while one might tell 15 or 20 at most. It was seen in most of the Southern Counties of England, at or near the same time. Nor could the Dr. satisfy himself which way this Meteor went.

(4.) The next Meteor of this kind is that mentio|ned by Kirchius, as seen at Leipsick, May 22. 1680.

* 1.5"about three in the Morning, as descending in the North, and leaving behind it a long white Streak. It was seen at several Places 160 English Miles distant from Leipsick, but met with no good Observers: as it is no wonder at that time of the Night.

(5.) The next Meteor of this kind, was seen by Kirchius himself at Leipsick, July 9. 1686.

* 1.6"at half an Hour past One in the Morning: which mov'd but ve|ry little for half a quarter of an Hour; its Diameter was about half as large as that of the Moon: Its Light at first was such, you might read by it; but by degrees it vanished away. It was seen in many Places at a considerable Distance from Leipsick; and and was at least 30 English Miles high.

(6.) The next Meteor of this kind, that I have met with, was seen by Mons. Feuillee, a cu|rious Ir•••…•••… Observer in the South-Sea, May 1••. 1708. about Nine at Night. His Words are these:

* 1.7We saw, s ys be, a flying Fire, which being lighted all of a sudden perfectly resembled the Planet Venus; it remain;d in the Place where it first appear'd for a Minute and a half. I took care to observe it, by comparing it with the nearest of the fixed Stars. On a sudden it exten|ded it self, and filled all the Horizon with Light, in such a manner, that we might have discover'd a Ship

in any Part of the Horizon. This Light thus spread, lasted but a short time.

(7.) The next Meteor of this kind, that I have met with, was seen by the same Observer, a little above two Months after the for|mer, in the same Voyage, July 17. 1708. His Words are these;

* 1.8In the Night, I saw a Phaeno|menon very Particular, almost like another that I had observed in the Northern Parts. As Astronomy has been always my chief delight, I was looking up to the Heavens to observe the Stars that make all its Beauty, and which compose the Southern Constella|tions. When I perceived on a sudden a Star much greater than Jupiter and Venus, which continuing more than two Minutes in the same bigness, and without losing any thing of its Light; I began to think, from its duration, that it was a New Star.—Whilst I was employ'd in observing this New Phaenomenon, it hap|pen'd that this Luminary, as I could properly call it at that time, took Fire all on a sudden; and,—ex|tending it self throughout all our Hemisphere, disco|ver'd it to us intirely, and made us see to the furthest Limits of it, so that we might have seen a Ship at a great distance; and, if I may venture to say it, even in any Part of the Horizon; from whence, one may judge, how very great this Light must have been.

(8.) The next Meteor of this kind, was seen in En|gland, July 31. 1708. between 9 and 10 a Clock at Night.

* 1.9"It was between 40 and 50 Miles perpendicularly high; and that over Sheerness, or the Buoy on the Nore. It was seen at London, and in Suffolk, [and no doubt in the neighbouring Parts of England.]

It appear'd at London to move horizontally, from E. by N. to E. by S. and in Suffolk it appear'd as sliding obliquely downwards. It was very bright at its first Appearance, sufficient to take up a Pin, and but a little inferior to the Light of the Moon; and it died away at the End of its Course, leaving a pale whiteness in the Place, without any Noise.

This is an Epitome of the several Histories of Me|teors of this Nature, that I have yet met with in the last Age.

(9.) Nor do I know of any the like Meteors seen since, till this before us; Unless we reckon that men|tion'd in our Gazette, and News-Papers, as seen over Venice, Feb. 22. last. But since it does not yet appear that this was seen at any considerable Distance, per|haps it might be somewhat of another Nature, and such a Meteor as is several times seen in our lower Air.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hook's Posthu|mous Works. p. 200.
• * 1.2

  Ibid. p. 199.
• * 1.3

  Philosophical Transact. No. 341.
• * 1.4

  Philosophical Transact. No. 135.
• * 1.5

  Philosophical Transact. No. 341.
• * 1.6

  Ibid.
• * 1.7

  Feuillee's Jour|nal. p 116.
• * 1.8

  Ibid. p. 199.
• * 1.9

  Philosophical Transact. No. 341.