THE FALL OF A METEOR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23401, 18 July 1939, Page 13

THE FALL OF A METEOR

Sir, —I wonder if others saw the brilliant meteor which fell in the Northern sky at 1 o'clock on Friday morning, it was so bright it lighted the whole bedroom and it was a wonderful sight. Can a meteor's falling be predicted and what special significance has it? (Mrs.) T. W. Smith. [The fall of an individual meteor cannot be predicted in advance. They are visible in all parts of the skv and at all times of the night, sometimes even in daylight. When one watches for them an average of twelve an hour may be expected, of all grades of brightness. There are times, however, when meteors occur in "showers," when as many as one a minute, or, in exceptional cases, one a second, may occur. Although the paths of these meteors likewise cannot be predicted in advance, one does know the point in space from which the members of the shower will appear to emanate, which gives a, good guide JIS to where to look for them. During the last lew days of this month, for example, a meteor shower which recurs every year will be visible emanating from near the star Delta Aquarii, and therefore if one watches the sky in the neighbourhood of the constellation ol Aquarius many faint, short-pathed and swiftly moving meteors may be seen. Kditoir, Hkramk]