OP A METEORIC FIRE-BALL. 
19 
Marquette, Michigan, Lat. 46° 32', Long. 87° 33'. According to the meteoro 
logical record kept by Dr. G. H. Blaker, of this place, the sky at 9 o’clock P. M., 
which, according to calculation, was about six minutes after the meteor passed the 
meridian of Marquette, was completely overspread with cirro-cumulus clouds, which 
he thinks prevented it being seen; though in a subsequent letter he says, “ I am 
informed that a very bright meteor was seen on that evening by two persons” 
“ immediately at the lower margin of the clouds in the south;” “it was moving 
toward the east, but very slowly.” 1 
Matteawan , New York, Lat. 41° 30', Long. 74°. Duration reported to be 40 to 
60 seconds. Explosion heard two or three minutes after its disappearance. 
Mauch Chunk , Pennsylvania, Lat. 40° 52', Long. 75° 47'. Reported time 9h. 40'. 1 2 
Meadville , Pennsylvania, Nos. 110, 133, and 166. These positions were carefully 
determined by Prof. Huidekoper, of the Theological Seminary, and communicated 
to Prof. Lyman, of Yale College, who kindly furnished them to me. Prof. Huide 
koper says that the apparent course of the meteor was about S. 65° E., and the 
time from crossing the meridian till disappearance 10 to 12 seconds. 3 
Melrose , New York, Lat. about 41°, Long, about 73° 50'. Reported time 9h. 45m. 4 
Middlebury , Vermont, Nos. 47, 130, and 139. Communicated by Prof. W. H. 
Parker, from observations made by George E. Plumbe, a member of the senior class 
in the college. Prof. Parker writes that Mr. Plumbe “ first saw the meteor emerg 
ing from behind the cupola of a cotton factory, he standing at a certain point on 
the railroad bridge, some ten rods distant from the factory. My measurements 
with the theodolite give an altitude of 8°, and azimuth S. 52J° W. This must he 
very near the truth, the position being so well marked by fixed objects in range.” 
“ In the direction S. 24j° W. the apparent elevation, as nearly as he could deter 
mine, was 18°. At that point it had just passed behind a building. This was 
about the highest elevation it reached. Soon after this it separated into fragments ; 5 
several smaller ones that soon disappeared. Two remained visible as long as the 
meteor was in sight. It passed out of sight in the direction S. 36° E. It was 
obscured then by buildings in the distance, but very near the horizon. Mr. Plumbe 
says it seemed at the time to be very near. He thought it was not over a hundred 
feet high.” 
Mont Clair , or West Bloomfield , New Jersey, Nos. 96 and 193. The observer, 
under the signature “ R. F. B.,” says that the meteor was first seen in the direction 
N. 41° W., at an elevation of 6°, “ when at right angles to my position, the eleva 
1 While this description seems to correspond very well with the calculated path in other particulars, 
it fails to do so in regard to the altitude of the meteor. For as the sky, if not entirely overspread 
with clouds at the instant, was so nearly so that the “ lower margin” must have been near the hori 
zon, while the calculated altitude of the meteor as seen due south from Marquette is about 40°. 
a Time of meridian passage, by calculation, 9h. 40m. 35 sec. 
3 According to calculation, the interval was 23 seconds. 
4 Time of meridian passage, by calculation, 9h. 48m. 32 sec. 
5 According to the calculated path, the greatest elevation was reached at about the azimuth S. 40° 
W., and was then only about 14°. Also, the second dismemberment of the meteor occurred about 
four seconds after this observation; the first having taken place just before the meteor came in 
sight.