An account of a surprizing meteor, seen in the air, March the 6th, 1715/16, at night. Containing, I. A description of this meteor, from the author's own observations. II. Some historical accounts of the like meteors before; with extracts from such letters, and accounts of this, as the author has receiv'd. III. The principal phænomena of this meteor. IV. Conjectures for their solution. V. Reasons why our solutions are so imperfect. VI. Inferences and observations from the premises / By William Whiston, M. A.

  • William Whiston
Date:
1716
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An account of a surprizing meteor, seen in the air, March the 6th, 1715/16, at night. Containing, I. A description of this meteor, from the author's own observations. II. Some historical accounts of the like meteors before; with extracts from such letters, and accounts of this, as the author has receiv'd. III. The principal phænomena of this meteor. IV. Conjectures for their solution. V. Reasons why our solutions are so imperfect. VI. Inferences and observations from the premises / By William Whiston, M. A. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ 3’ ] N. B. Mr* Flamsteed has a Letter from the. North, giving him an Account of two other fuch Parhelia, feen there Two or Three Days after thefe. L ETTER HI. Oxford, March Dear Sir, the jtb. —--1 flial! fill up this Sheet of Paper, with an Account of an Appearance in the Air laft Night ; which was very ftrange and furprizing, and is a little difficult to defcribe. About Half an hour after 6, there appear’d in the Extremity of the Hemifphere, a pretty large Cloud, like Smoke intermix’d with Fire ; out of which arofe a great many oblong Rays, or Streams of Light, playing upwards, and darting themfelves about the Sky : Thefe in¬ creas’d by degrees in Number and Magnitude, and arofe in a continued Circle at Eafi, North, Weft, and a little at South. They all tended up* wards ; and as they paffed along, interchange¬ ably took one another’s Places, playing over, and mixing with each other. Sometimes almoft the whole Sky was cover’d with them ; and fome of them were very glaring and fiery. In about a Quarter of an Hour s Time, they all gather’d in a Center at the Top of the He¬ mifphere ; forming a Ring in the Middle, and then diffufing themfelves all around, pointed their Rays obliquely downwards. This Appearance was fomething like the ufu- al Pictures of the Sun on our Sign-Pofts ; only the Streams .were larger and longer, reaching near
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