12 ON THE ORBIT AND PHENOMENA 
Erie, Pennsylvania, Nos. 54, 134, 163, 171, and 172. Nos. 134 and 163 were 
observed, and instrumental measurements carefully made, by Wilson King, a land 
surveyor, who says that his position was “ peculiarly favorable for fixing its eleva 
tion and disappearance.” He was sitting on the door-step in front of his house, 
which faces N. 64° E., and when the meteor came in range of the east wall, at the 
azimuth N. 26° W., he fixed its elevation (44J°) by a bracket of the cornice. 
From this point he says it “ appeared to rise higherbut finally “ passed out of 
sight, in a cloud near the eastern horizon, at an elevation of 7J°, in a due east 
course.” He adds, that his wife, who was sitting at his side, corroborates .all his 
“ observations as to its first appearance, its passage, and its exit.” The time of 
flight from N. 26° W. to due east he estimated at about a minute, and says that 
an explosion was heard 3 to 5 minutes after the meteor disappeared. 1 
The remaining observations at this place were communicated by J. W. Wetmore, 
the altitudes having been estimated, by the “ card method,” by himself in connection 
with the other observers. No. 172 is the estimate by J. Spooner. No. 54 by J. 
W. Wetmore and T. M. Walker jointly; and No. 171 by Miss Kate Walker. Mr. 
Wetmore says the time was about 9 o’clock P. M. 
Fair Haven , Massachusetts, Nos. 217 and 222. Observed by Capt. Jabez Delano, 
who says: “At 9h. 55m. I discovered a most wonderful object, resembling a globu 
lar body of fire bearing W. N.W., and approaching apparently directly towards me. 
In magnitude it equalled the moon. In a few seconds it bore south of me, and then 
exhibited the phase of a double headed meteor, the one head preceding the other.” 
“ When abreast of our house its light was so strong that our rooms were lit up for 
a moment with daylight splendor. The meteor held on its course E. S, E. until 
lost in the distance.” “ The like object I think was never before seen.” Captain 
Delano was at the moment engaged in observing the heavens with his telescope, 
and says the meteor passed about 15° above Antares. 1 2 
Fishkill, New York, Lat. 41° 34', Long. 73° 52'. Time by observation 9h. 40m. 3 
Fishkill Landing , New York, No. 210. In an article in the New York Tribune 
signed “ W. H,” it is stated that the meteor appeared to separate when at an alti 
tude of 30° to 40°, and that it crossed the meridian at an altitude of 75° to 80° 4 . 
Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Lat. 42° 35', Long. 71° 47'. Reported time “precisely 
10 o’clock.” 5 
Flint , Michigan, Nos. 1 and 161. Communicated by Daniel Clark, some months 
after the passage of the meteor. He says that “ Mr. D. Stewart, a highly intelli- 
1 According to calculation, the time from N. 26° W. to due east was but 21 seconds, and if the 
explosion heard was that which occurred near Elmira, N. Y., it would not have been heard till 14 
minutes after the meteor disappeared. 
3 From the description, it would seem that the meteor was first seen before its first explosion, but 
we can hardly suppose it to have been further west than the meridian of Buffalo, where its altitude, 
according to calculation, would have been less than 5^°. At that point its calculated azimuth was 
nearly W. N. W. (a few degrees further west), and the time was 9h. 59m. 45 sec. P. M. 
3 According to calculation, the meteor passed the meridian of Fishkill at 9h. 48m. 28 sec. P. M. 
4 According to calculation, the altitude at the first explosion was 19° 30'. 
5 According to calculation, the meteor passed the meridian of Fitchburg at 9h. 5Vm. 1 sec. P. M.