22 
ON THE ORBIT AND PHENOMENA 
under great disadvantages. I can readily allow the impression, with regard to its 
touching the tree-top, to be in error 4° or 5°.” 
Prof. Newton continues: “At S. 28° W.” (No. 31) “we concluded that it was 
53° high,” and in relation to this position Prof. Lyman adds, that “ being the ave 
rage of a large number of observations, as determined from a celestial globe, it is 
undoubtedly far superior to all others for New Haven.” 
Prof. Newton proceeds farther: “The track did not pass far from Arcturus, proba 
bly a trifle south of it” (No. 24). “ In the S. E. the meteor disappeared to most of us 
(our observers; I did not see it) in clouds. One person saw it S. 47° E. Alt. 20°. 
Another, S. 57° E., Alt. 10°. Another, S. 54° E., Alt. 13°, Seven degrees we 
allowed here for variation of the compass.” 
Prof. Lyman, alluding to a previously published statement, says: “The observation 
pf .altitude at S. 17° W.” (No. 41) “ I thought, at the time, a close approximation, 
yet liable to possible error of 1° or 2°—possibly more.” 
No. 69 is from a communication signed “ E,” in the New Haven Courier. 
No. 214 is from a New Haven newspaper, in which the editor says: “It rose 
near the horizon at about N. 60° W., swept along the southern quarter of the 
heavens, at an altitude on the meridian of 30° to 40°, and passed from view S. 62° E.” 
* * * * “ For many of these facts I am indebted to E. C. Herrick, Esq.” 
“ The time of flight, for the different observers, determined by repeating various 
acts performed while it was in sight, ranged from 10 to 20 seconds, giving an ave 
rage of 14 or 15 seconds.” Time of the middle of the flight 9h. 52m. 15 sec. 1 
Newport , Delaware, No. 203. Maximum height “may have been 25°.” Name 
of observer not ascertained. 
Newport , Rhode Island, Lat. 41° 29', Lon. 71° 19'. Reported time “ about 10 
o’clock” 1 2 3 —in sight about two minutes. Name of observer not ascertained. 
Newton Corners, Massachusetts, Lat. 42° 19', Lon. 71° 13'. Reported time 
“about 10 o’clock.” 2 
New World (steamer), New York, No. 26. The observer, who signs himself 
W. H. S. in a newspaper article, was on board this steamer, just entering the High 
lands, on her passage up from New York, at 9| o’clock. 2 He says that the meteor 
passed just south of his zenith, and that the time of flight was “ certainly not less 
than a minute, because there was ample time, during the flight, to form, discuss, 
and alter opinions” in regard to it. 
New York City , Nos. 28, 64, 123, 145, and 226. Observed by W. S. Prime and 
J. D. Lawson, from the S. W. corner of Broadway and Fourth Street; angles, &c. 
measured by Prof. Newton, of Yale College, from whom we have the following 
1 According to the calculated path, the meteor was seen in azimuth S. 63° W. at 9h. 52m. 9 sec., 
and disappeared in azimuth S. 47° E. at 9h. 52m. 23sec., thus making the time of flight 14 seconds, 
and that of the middle of its passage 9h. 52m. 16 sec. To those who traced the meteor to a more 
easterly azimuth, the time of flight was, of course, a few seconds longer, and that of the middle of 
its passage proportionally later. 
3 Calculated time of meridian passage at Newport, R. I., 9li. 58m. 52 sec. ; at Newton Corners, 
9h. 59m. 20 sec. ; and at the New World, 9h. 48m. 7 sec.