vi. The ball was far more luminous than the tail, and the part connected with the tail scarcely less distinct than the opposite part.
vii. The light was such that all objects cast distinct shadows, though less strongly marked than when the moon is full.
viii. Numerous sparks continually issued from the ball of the [p488] meteor; they were of the apparent size, but much more brilliant than the smaller stars, and after descending a little distance, disappeared.
ix. The meteor was visible for about eight or perhaps ten seconds.
x. A second or two before its disappearance, three much larger sparks or luminous fragments were thrown off at once, two of them the apparent size of Venus, the third larger. These were the last pieces which were seen to leave the body. Their paths were at first nearly parallel with that of the meteor, yet beneath it. From this direction, however, they all deviated constantly and rapidly, in parabolic curves, until they seemed falling perpendicularly towards the earth. Each fragment became less and less distinct until it disappeared. The largest continued visible until about 20° from the horizon.
xi. The meteor itself disappeared as suddenly as if, in one indivisible moment, it had passed into a medium absolutely opaque, or as if, at a given moment, it had left the atmosphere; but a few moments afterwards there was a distinct and somewhat extensive illumination over that part of the sky for about a second.
xii. When the meteor disappeared, it was about 30° above the horizon in the direction of N. 45° E. or 25° east of the place where it was first seen. The direction of the path was probably from W. by S. to E. by N. The meteor was obviously going from the observer, its path making an angle with the optic axis of about 60°.
xiii. Between eight and ten minutes after the disappearance of the meteor, there was a loud and heavy report, accompanied by a very sensible jar; it did not much resemble either thunder or the report of a cannon, but was louder, shorter, and sharper than either, and was followed by no perceptible echo.
xiv. A friend of Dr. Dwight’s, who was in Berlin at the time, about twenty-three miles due N. of Newhaven, saw the meteor distinctly, but made no particular observations. His account accorded generally with that given; but the meteor appeared to him larger, more elevated, and somewhat more to the east in its apparent place. No account could be obtained of any fragments which had fallen from it.—Silliman’s Journal, xiii. 35.