Abstract
A BRILLIANT METEOR.—A meteor of extraordinary brightness was seen by several observers at 9.45 on Sunday evening, May 17. Mr. T. F. Connolly, of the Solar Physics Observatory, observed the object from Wimbledon Common. It apparently commenced its flight about half a degree east of Polaris, and, travelling slowly to the east of north, passed about half-way between δ and λ Cassiopeia;. The brightness of the meteor exceeded that of Venus, which was above the horizon, and the head was pear-shaped. The duration of the flight was between three and four seconds; no trail was observed, and the meteor disappeared when at some twelve degrees above the horizon. This object was independently observed by Mr. H. E. Goodson, who states that it was one of the brightest he has ever seen. Mr. P. W. Copeland also writes to say that he observed the meteor at Belper, Derby, at the same time. He says:—“The meteor was of the slow-moving type, and I estimated its apparent diameter as from two to three times that of Venus at the present time. Just before the end of its path, a smaller portion, apparently at a lower temperature, separated and dropped in a more vertical direction. This observation has been confirmed by a friend who saw the meteor at Derby, eight miles from Belper.”
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Our astronomical column . Nature 78, 65–66 (1908). https://doi.org/10.1038/078065a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/078065a0