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

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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. _ [ ^5 ] as before. Which has accordingly been the ge¬ neral State of our Air fince this Appearance. ( 16.) Since different Countries afford diffe¬ rent Quantities of fuch Effluvia from the Earth < and Spe<5fators, at great Difiances, do not ufu- atly fee the fame Individuals, but others in part like them ; ’tis no wonder, that there was fuch Difference in the particular Phenomena, at re¬ mote Places ; tho’, for the main, they might well refemble one another, and happen near the fame Time alfo. (17.) This Comet, which feems lately to have ffolen by without much Obfervation,is here taken notice of, rather to give an Occafion of In¬ formation and Caution to the Reader, than that it has any Connexion with the prefent Phenomenon. It is therefore to be obferved, that fuch a Comet, with a fmall Tail, appears late¬ ly to have been feen, not only at Genoa as the Pub- lick Prints inform us) but with us about Leicefter^ Litchfield, Hereford, and in the fVefl, a Fortnight. together at leaft. Tho* I do not find, that it has been obferv’d either at London, Greenwich, Ojc- ford, or Cambridge. For want therefore of due Obfervations, we are not able to fay, whether it will return again, or not. If it fhould re¬ turn, it muff ( very probably ) bring with it a much longer Tail from the Neighbourhood of the Sun ; and fuch its Appearance muff there¬ fore be much more remarkable, and muff be for certain in a very little Time alfo. So that the Event will foon fatisfy our Curiofity in this Matter. But to fuppofe with fome, that this our Nor¬ thern Twylizht.could any way depend on fuch a Comet’s coming by, feems to be the Imagina¬ tion of thofe that know not the Aftronomy and I 2 Philo-

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