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Catalogue of aërolites and Bolides, from A.D. 2 to A.D. 1860
A.D.2-1499
1500-1699
1700-1799
1800-1829
1830-1845
1846-1860

YearDay of monthLocalitySize or weightDirectionDuration; rate; hour;Remarks, &c
1846Jan. 16Chalons-sur-Loirevery large?N.W. to S.E.5.45 P.M.long train; cast strong shadows.
Feb. 3Switzerland; France...E. to W....large igneous globe; 150 miles over St. Gotthard.
10Caraman, Francevery large......bolide.
11Nottingham.........ditto.
21Collioure, France...N.E. to S.W.quicktwo, nearly touching, i.e. double; strong light.
Mar. 1ToulouselargeE. to W.2"fireball.
5Paris...S. to N....ditto.
10Bonnbrilliant......cast shadows during full moonshine.
1846Mar. 21Toulouse; Arièges1/3 d. moonN. to S.?slow, 2"brilliant; equal moonlight; satellite of earth?. Petit says this meteor may be a satellite of the earth, with a retrograde geocentric motion. Apparent velocity=14,157 meters; greatest distance from earth 15,355; least distance 11,974 meters. S. to N.?
22Bagnères de Luchon.........set a barn on fire?; like a wheat-sheaf; 3 P.M.
31Upper Silesia......quickbright silvery; short tail.
*May 8Macerata, Ancona1 lb. +...9¼ A.M.Stone-fall and detonation. Near Monte Milone; several fell of about 1 to 6 lbs.; resembling the stone of Klein-Wenden.
*June 3Moreton Bay; Australia.= moonE. to W....bright light; great detonation.
*7Darmstadt1 lb.......Stone-fall? (Poggendorff, vol. vi. 1854, p. 377).
19Rhenish Provinces......bright fireball; no noise heard.
20Autun, France12 inches diam.vertically down1'8.30 P.M. Fell giving off small fireballs; violet. Disappeared finally in sparks.
21Belgium; Bavaria; BadenlargeN. to S. vertically down...lost in a shower of sparks. Also at Darmstadt; Palatinate, &c.
29Parmaditto......fireball.
July 12Gloucester= moon......downwards from zenith; cloudy.
12Paris2 > JupiterS.S.E. to N.N.W.10.15 P.M.bolide.
23Toulouselarge......ditto; satellite of earth, according to Petit. real d. 100 meters; distance from earth at moment of disappearance 47,000 meters; apparent speed 9500 meters per second; real speed 9480 meters; time of revolution 12,286 seconds; retrograde movement in R.A. 5 miles a second (27 miles high, and 320 feet diameter).
25Gloucesterditto......ditto.
31Altona and other places.........ditto; =next?.
Aug. 1Cassel; Bamberg½ d. moonW. to E....burst; hissing sound?; sparks; billiant; tailed. First seen at an altitude of 80°
10Ireland, co. Down.........Iron-mass and meteor?. An iron said to have fallen and been picked up, but either the whole story is a hoax, or the iron itself purely artificial.
17Dijon...N.W. to S.E....bell-shaped; reddish tail.
24St. Apre; Dordogne...E. to W.streak 3' or 4'10½ P.M. Luminosity covered one-fifth sky; sparks.
25Nottingham4 > Jupiter...9¼ P.M.fireball.
Sept. 15Wrenbury, Cheshirelike an orange......bright; long streak or tail.
25Paris6 > JupiterS.S.E. to N.N.W.streak 6"ditto. ditto; quick; 9.52 P.M.
?25London; Nottinghamlarge, 15' d.towards S.E. verticallystreak 50"brilliant; 9.45; detonation?. reddish phosphercent streak. September 25.? At Nottingham a large meteor; in Kent a great meteoric light in zenith; moved downwards from zenith. One account says it exploded with noise; 61 miles high; N. by 10° W.; rate, 24 miles in a second. Apparently seen also at Cambridge, and in Wiltshire.
*Oct. 9Paris; Orleans, &c.½ d. of moonS.W. to N.E.?2"brighter than moon; oval; burst with detonation. Also at Chartres and Troyes; detonation very great; fell 55° down and burst; long streak and tail; seemed to be in a state of fusion.
10Ferty sous Jouarre.........fireball.
13Prausnitz.........tailed bolide.
17Ramsgate; London; Walesbrilliant......coruscations; same as the next.
17Frankfort; CoblentzlargeN.W. to S.E.6 P.M.nearly horizontal; oval; also seen at Dijon. Frankfort; also seen at Darmstadt. At Dijon, in France; pale blue; slowly descended in an arc of 45° in 1'; left a streak for 5' or 8'; large than Jupiter; W. to E.; lost at 15° above horizon.
24Silesia; many placesditto...6.45 P.M.burst into small sparks; no noise; left a small dark cloud for 2'.
Nov. 9Dijon; France= cannon-ballW. to E.?strk. 2' to 15'slow; horizontal at 60° high; yellowish; long tail. Light as day. The luminous streak lasted 2', then gathered itself up at each end, forming a roundish light near its central part, which lasted for 15' visible. This was a most brilliant meteor; apparent size that of an 8-lb, cannon-ball.
*11Lowell; Mass., U.S.= sun's diam....5' brilliant; detonation; aërolitic?; 9 P.M. A stone of 442 lbs. said to have been discovered having a disagreeable smell. There is much doubt whether this was really meteoric.
15Hamburg.........large meteor.
18Breslau, and other places.........like a fiery serpent; no noise. Silesia. Left a bright cloud for 10", composed of three parts. Many places in Silesia.
19Dijon; Avranche.........large fireball; = 9th Nov.?
23Berlin......streak 19½"fireball.
Dec. 1Grotthau...S.E to N.W....bolide.
7Jura.........fine bolide.
7Bombay.........a large bolide.
1846Dec. 21Parma.........remarkable bolide; day-time, A.M.
*25Minderthal, Bavaria17 lbs.?...2 P.M.Stone-fall; several; near Schönenberg; sp. gr, 3·75.
?SummerRichland, S. Carolina, U.S.sp. gr. 2·32......ditto; 6ozs. In Shepard's collection; fell during a thunder-storm. Contains no metallic iron, and must be considered rather a doubtful meteorite.
1847Jan. 6Grunbinnen...S.E. to N.W....left a streak varying in intensity; no noise. Towards south from zenith.
10Zohten and Vienna> JuipterN.W. to S.E.5 P.M.divided into two; one falling vertically down, and one hearly stationary for 7'. At Vienna, according to Buchner; moved W. to E.; left behind a bright indented streak, which seemed to wind round upon itself like a cirro-cumulus cloud that remained visible for 10', gradually shifting; according to Faye, a proof the meteor must have passed into the atmosphere.
Feb. 3Nottinghamlarge......bolide. Feb. 5?.
10Vienna.........ditto.
11Versailles.........ditto.
21Bonn.........a fine meteor.
*25Marion, Linn. co., Iowa50+46+3...3 P.M.Stone-fall; sp. gr. 3·58. Several together 99 lbs. (75?.)
*Mar. 19Aberdeenshire= moon......exploded with noise over sea? Also seen at London?.
28Bonn?large...3" or 4"long tail; bright.
Apr. 11Algiers.........bolide.
May 9Bonn> Venus......yellowish-white.
10Bonn.........reddish-yellow.
26Oxford...vertically to N.E.streak 12'bluish-white; 15° high.
June 29Parma.........bolide.
*July 14Braunau, Bohemia42+30 lbs....3½ P.M.Iron-fall; sp. gr. 7·71. Two fragments fell with detonation. Braunau, Hauptmannsdorf. Meteor seen; one large explosion, and two red streaks of fire fell; the two masses of iron were found at about 6000 Vienna feet apart.
1847Aug. 9Brussels12' diam....5" slowirregular; cast shadows; like a bright cloud of smoke.
14Bonn and other places.........a fine meteor.
17France...N. to S.8"a fine fireball.
19Paris; Dieppe...S.S.E. to N.N.W....quick down; left a streak for some time after. Went 42° in a second; at first 134 miles high, then finally 42 miles; period 373,397 years?.
26Bonn.........fireball.
Sept. 7Bombay; PoonahlargeN. to S.5" or 6"bright as moon; bluish, reddish; burst; sparks. Changed its course from N. to S. sweeping round nearly at right angles. Should be 1848, not 1847.
Oct. 11Bruges...to E.N.E....long tail; 2 A.M.
17Wrenbury...S.W. to N.E....fine bolide; long streak; whizzing noise?.
18Paris5' diam....2" or 3"great light; long tail.
24Darlingford.........bolide.
29Bonn.........reddish fireball.
30BombaylargeE. to W.streak 30"brilliant; burst; horizontal; dazzling as a Bengal light.
Nov. 7Trebnitz, Silesia......slowbright fireball.
11Benares......streak 10'bolide.
16Paris2 > JuipterW. to E....ditto.
19Paris; Versailles7 > Jupiter...25° in 1½"ditto.
20Oxfordlargetowards S.W.7'nearly stationary for 7'; irregular speed. Curious; first moved from zenith to 45° of altude, then nearly stationary 7', then moved slowly on towards S.W.
23Birkenhead.........large fireball.
26Oels and other places.........a fireball; burst. Also at Erdmannsdorf.
29Bonn......8" for 90°most brilliant at the 4th second.
Dec. 13Dublin.........fireball.
12Nottingham3 > Jupiter......bluish; tailed.
8Paris2 > JupiterS. to N....bolide.
13Breslau......streak 6 or 7"tail 4° long; rapid; serpentine movement.
8Münster?......streak 50"fireball; observed by Heis.
11Paris...S.E. to N.W....brilliant.
8Forest Hill; Arkansas......3 P.M.Stone-fall. Violent explosion. Stone 2½ in. in diam. Arkansas, U.S. Stated by Shepard to be a myth and invention.
1848Jan. 9Edinburgh1/3 d. moonN. to S.slow, 1½"burst while expanding itself. 1849?.
11Parma.........bolide.
12,13ditto.........ditto.
19Hirschberg.........ditto.
20New York, U.S.largeW. to N.streak 12'bright fireball.
21Aix; Parma?30' diam....4"very large and bright; 10° above horizon; green. Had a small scattered tail on each side; resembled melted metal.
27BuckinghamshirelargeS.W. to N.E.3"pear-shaped and tailed; double-headed; by day-light. Silver-white; fell from 60° high to 30°.
Feb. 2Wrenburylarge......green, with crimson border.
*15Dharwar, India4 lbs.?...1 P.M.Stone-fall; sp. gr. 3·51. 12 inches in diameter. Dharwar, S.E. of Negloor, at the junction of the Wurda and Toongabudra rivers.
22Francelarge......large bolide.
22?12 > Sirius......cast shadows; bluish; same as last?.
24Madras.........fireball.
1848Mar 8Breslay.........straight down. 1847?.
8Slough; Bath> moonE. to W.22"kite-shaped, tailed; horizontal; gradually increased in size. At Bath, as large as a cricket-ball; 4 A.M.
29Oderberg= moon...streak 30'streak visible half an hour. Also seen at Neubrandenburg; the nucleus was of a bluish colour; dissolved without noise into separate stars; the tail or streak gradually curved up and shrunk into a ragged cloud-like form.
Apr. 6Oxford...N. to S....bright, by twilight..
18Oxford= a cricket-ballS. to W....purplish; yellowish; by twilight..
30London...N.E. to S.W.3"divided into two parts, like a Roman candle.
May 7Bonn.........fireball.
19Silesia.........large bolide; or 20th May..
24Aix-la-Chapelle.........fine bolide.
*20Maine, U.S.sp. gr 3·45S.E. to N.W.4¼ P.M.Stone-fall; 1½ oz.; explosion heard over 40 miles. Castine in Maine. Contains nickeliferous iron. 1½ lb.?
July 12Nottingham¼ d. moonE. to W.20° in 3½"slow; bluish.
23Bonn......slowfireball.
29Bonn; Aix; England?.........brilliant; no tail; burst; cast shadows; no noise.
Aug. 28Aix......3" or 4"meteor.
29Paris.........ditto.
Sept. 1Brussels; Caen...W. to E.slowhorizontal; greenish; brilliant..
4Sussex; Nottingham2/3 d. moonS.W. to N.E.streak ½ to 3'brilliant; burst; and one-third fell down in sparks. Also seen on N. coast of France, and in Isle of Wight. A remarkable meteor.
8Pisa...N.W. to S.E....fireball as large as an orange.
28Parama.........fireball.
Oct. 27Oxfordlarge......white; tailed.
29Bombay; PoonahlargeW. to E.streak ½'horizontal first, then fell down into sea; dazzling.
Nov. 1Bombay.........fireball.
9Nottingham5 > Jupiter......ditto.
15Aix.........ditto.
16Bombay......streak 6"ditto.
29Lincolnshire......1'not tailed. 7 A.M.
Dec. 2Bonn.........fine meteor.
*27Shie, Krogstadt; Norwaysp. gr. 3·54...eveningStone-fall; 850 grammes; preserved in the Museum at Christiania. Krogstadt. Fell on to the ice; nearly as large as a child's head; resembles the stone of Blansko, Moravia, in composition. The stony portion contains about 50 per cent. of olivine.
1849Jan. 28Bath2 > Jupiter......bluish.
Feb. 24Madras.........large meteor.
Mar. 6Londonlarge......white, then greenish-red..
*19Bombay; Poonah; Surat= ¼ moonS.W to N.E.30° in 2"brilliant; greenish; burst; 6½ P.M.; detonation. Bombay; seen also at Surat, Poonah, Sholapore, Aurungabad, Asseerghur, Ahmednuggur, and over an area of 300 miles square. Two detonations in about 1½' to 3', heard at Aurungabad. Burst into sparks; 4' d. to 15' d. Probably a stone fell from this meteor. For an account of this meteor, see British Association Reports for 1850, p. 127.
23Bombay; Khandalla.........large meteor.
26Cochin-ChinalargeS.E. to N.W....green; red trail; burst.
April 4Delhi, India...N.W. to S.E.slowbrilliant; moved horizontally nearly.
10Ahmednuggur, India3 > VenusW. to E....bright meteor.
13Bombay; PoonahlargeN.W. to S.E.streak 20"bright as moon; bluish; egg-like. v.=30 miles per second?. Seen also at Hingolee, a distance of 300 miles from Bombay.
26 or 19Bombay; Khandalla...N.W. to S.E.slowbrilliant; burst. also Malabar; 7 P.M.
30Liège......slow, 30"oval fireball; divided into two; day-time; no tail.
30Poonah, India.........fireball.
May 2Bombay.........bolide.
4Paris2 > JupiterS.E. to N.W....ditto; by daylight, at 5.30 P.M.
6Kurrachee, IndialargeS.W. to N.E.afternoonwell-defined globe; greenish; fell below horizon; no noise.
26Bonn2' diam.?...2¾"brilliant; yellowish; fireball with visible disc.
June 17Cambridge, Mass., U.S.5* to > VenusW. to E....brilliant; pale orange; broke into several fragments, which did not fall down. July 16?..
*25Kurrachee, IndialargeS.E. to N.W.10 P.M.cast shadows; burst; sparks; loud detonation 1' to 5' after.
July 10Nottingham5 > Jupiter...slowbluish; no tail.
12Nottingham¼ of moon......oval; blue; reddish sparks.
27Poorbunder, India...vertically down5"brilliant; streak left; sparks.
Aug. 25Chesterfield2 > SaturnN. to S.slownearly horizontal; conical body; tail and small sparks.
*Aug.Kumadau, Africa......noonaërolitic meteor (according to Livingstone). Kumadau, South Africa. From Dr. Livingstone's description, a detonating meteor, not a stone-fall; at least no srone was picked up.
Oct. 30Orkneys.........a fine meteor; one also seen at Dublin.
*31Cabarras co., N. Carolina, U.S.sp. gr. 3·63W. to E.3 P.M.Stone-fall; 19 lbs. Meteor not seen; three reports heard.
Nov. 1Tampa, Florida.........brilliant meteor seen in the evening.
2Swansea; Flint1/8 moonE.S.E. to W.N.W.8", sloworange-red; 5 P.M. Also seen at Nottingham and Dublin.Vertical over Dublin; oval; dazzling; also seen at Carlow and Drogheda; did not burst.
5Chester; Nottingham; Bucks> JupiterE.N.E. to W.S.W.5"bolide; head composed of 7 or 8 balls; streak 2'.
7Mazagon, BombaylargeW. to E.5"streak visible for 2'; burst; 80 miles high.
8Bombay4 > VenusW. to E....gave a streak.
*9Asseerghur & Mazagon, India4 > VenusE. to W.9 P.M.bright as moon; loud detonation.
*13Italy; TripolislargeE. to W.?several secStone-fall and meteor; reddish; brilliant; burst into small balls; 6¼ P.M. Seen in the southern sky. Varied in colour; a bright cloud visible 1½ hour after; according to some a detonation heard about 15 minutes (!) after bursting. Seen also like a stream of fire between Tunis and Tripolis, where a shower of stones fell; some of them into the town of Tripolis itself. See Phil. Mag. for 1850; also the Transactions of the Royal Society, and Boguslawski's Catalogues.
19Bonn; Aix......1½"streak 15" duration.
Dec. 12Shorapore, India4 > Marsvertically downrapidburst with sparks; greenish; bright, casting shadows.
19Durham; Perth; Belfast2' d. to 15' d.S.W. to N.E.76° in 15"slow horizontal; split into two at 6° above horizon; streak for 30"?. Also seen at Edinburgh, Carlisle, and Nottingham, Longford, and at Ireland. Had only a small streak or tail; was 88 miles high, probably over St. Kilda, Ireland; seen over a distance of at least 300 miles by 140. For a full account of this meteor, see Brit. Assoc. Reports for 1850, p. 109.
21New Haven, U.S..........bolide.
23Leicestershire.........fine tailed meteor..
30Weedon, Aylesbury4' diam.......round; burst; sent out a tail at an angle of 18° from its direction.
1849Dec. 4Nottingham3 > Mars...8'fireball.
*Aug. 11Chinese Tartary12 > VenusS. to N.slowburst into fragments; loud detonation in 20"; bluish. Private communication from J. W. Atkinson. Globular in form; the fragments after bursting visible for 10" or 15"; and some seconds again after that the sound of the explosion; about 12¼ A.M.., 11,12 Aug.
*Nov. 1South Carolina.........several meteoric explosions and meteors this day. See Prof. Shepard's account. In the evening a fine display of shooting stars. Silliman's Journal.
1850.*Jan. 2Gernany.........detonating meteor. See Supplement for details..
*9Bonn; Köhlengraben= moon...3½ A.M.meteoric light; vivid; detonation after.
30Cherbourg= Venus...3½"had a streak; moved straight down.
Feb. 5Sandwich, Kent6* to 1/3 moon...station. 1 3/4'burst and moved eastwards; red sparks dropping vertically down; curious. About 30 miles high when first seen, at Sandwich.
725° N., 66° E., at sea1/8 d. moon......fireball.
10at sea1/6 d. moon......rapid; left a streak; small tail..
*11Penzance to Durham?= d. of moonN.N.W. to S.S.E.2" to 5"loud detonation over Biggleswade 2' after; 10¾ P.M.; streak lasted 5'. This meteor was seen at Bedford, Rugby, London, Oxford, Greenwich, Montgomery. Mr. Glaisher has given a long account of it in the Phil. Mag. vol. xxxvi. 1850. Explosion heard in one to five minutes over 50 miles square. Height when first seen 84 miles, when burst only 19 miles; real velocity about 30 miles a second. At 50 miles distance, appeared as large as the full moon, as at Hartwell; at 100 miles, rather larger than Venus; moved by jerks; reddish, yellowish, bluish; had no tail, but a luminous train; after the explosion luminous balls and particles dropped down to within 10 miles of the earth. Moved in a parabolic orbit?.
13Bonnlarge...5.28 P.M.cast shadows; brilliant fireball; reddish.
13Nottingham½ moon...9.35 P.M.fireball; pear-shaped; bluish; vertically down; dazzling; 1½'.
22London; Aylesbury, &c.= d. moonS.S.E to S.?3" or 4"clearly defined; vertically for 7° or 8° downwards; the last part divided itself into several stars. No noise heard; this meteor was perhaps seen in Derbyshire, and in Germany, as at Bonn.
Mar. 6Surat, India...E. to W.15"bolide;=Sirius.
17Aylesbury.........ditto.
?Apr. 1Aden.........brilliant fireball; detonation?.
18Dessau.........fireball, of a greenish colour.
1850Apr. 21Breslau......25" or 30"bright meteoric light, increasing and decreasing; burst as it sank below the horizon.
May 2Bombay.........clear white bolide; no tail or streak.
*21Bonn¼ d. moon...9½ P.M.greenish-blue; 4' after a detonation; varied often in size.
*June 5N. France, Caen, &c.nearly=moonS.W. to N.E.9¼ P.M.bright; tail 10° long; sparks; detonation in ½ a min. N. France; Passy, Loiret, Paris, Compiègne, Beauvais, Chartres, Caen, Rouen, and Hâvre. At first about 1/3 size of moon; when last seen near Hâvre, nearly the size of the full moon; detonation heard by some; stones were supposed to have fallen either in Normandy or Picardy. Moved 10° in a second about; seen 25° above the horizon; yellowish, purplish; v.=27 miles per second; height 32 miles over Normandy. Lighted up the country near Hâvre like day-light; streak lasted several minutes
*6Dijon, Tonnerre, &c.largeS.E. to N.W.11¼ A.M.meteor; great detonation over 30 square miles.
*10BombaylargeS.W. to N.E.10 P.M.brilliant; increased in size; detonation in 15". Noise lasted for 30". Also seen at Kishnahur.
16New Haven, U.S.= Venus...slow 2"seen in full day-light.
*22Oviedo, Spainlarge......meteor; detonation; stones said to have fallen..
22London= d. moon...3½"oval; vertically down for 15°.
24Aigle, France.........bright meteor; sparks.
July 1Bombay...S.E. to N.W....bolide.
4Nottingham3 > jupiter...2"brilliant meteor.
?5Grantham; Boston......2"bolide; said to have burst with slight smoke and noise over Boston.
12Paris2 > JupiterS.S.W to N.N.E....ditto.
15Paris2 > jupiterN.E. to S.E....bolide.
Aug. 10Tipperary= moonN.E. to S.W.streak 30"red, then bluish.
10Paris...N.N.W. to S.S.E....bolide, very brilliant. 11.35 P.M..
11Paris2 > JupiterS.W. to N.E.10"ditto.
12Penzance½ d. of moonN.E. to S.W.15"ditto; brilliant.
14Nottingham5 > Jupiter...2"ditto.
12Paris2 > Jupiter...3"ditto; no tail or streak.
Sept. 7Toulouse> Venus...4½" for 25°slow; horizontal.
?Sept.Barcelona, Spain.........Stone-fall; sp. gr. 8·12; iron?; electrical?. At the beginning of the month; Dr. Joaquin Balcells of Barcelona, relates the fall of a thunder-stone (?). Sp. gr. 8·12; dark coloured, very hard; conical form; made a hole in the ground. Said to contain no arsenic; some silica and alumina and sulphurous iron. Certainly rather doubtful; and perhaps a nodule of pyrites.
30Cambridge, U.S.2/3 moonN.E. to S.W.9 P.M.pear-shaped; bluish; streak for 30'; 50 miles high. Bright train or streak; like a rocket; brilliant; sparks; also seen in Maine, Conn., Mass.; long tail; bright light cumuli clouds left which became curved; seemed to have a rotating motion at first.
Oct. 6Aix-la-Chapelle; Bonn.........white; left a streak.
9Herefordlarge, 4' d.?W. to N.slowburst; bluish; larger than a cricket-ball.
13Toronto, Canada......45° in 1"brilliant, with scintillations.
24BonnlargeE. to W.1½"seen behind clouds like a flash of lightning.
Nov. 6BombaylargeN.W. to S.E.3"burst; comet-like; streak for 20'. Nov. 14?.
8Paris2 > jupiterN.W. to S.E.2"bolide.
14Berlin½ moon...streak 3"?yellowish (or 15th November).
28Nottingham4 > Jupiter...slowbolide.
29London; Oxford, &c.1/3 moon......dazzling; nearly stationary for some seconds; tailed..
*30Bissempore, Shalka2 feet d....3½ A.M.Stone-fall; in India, Bancoorah, West Burdwan. this stone contains a mineral which M. Haidinger calls "Piddingtonite." The sp. gr. of this stone is 3·41--3·66. See Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, vol. xx. p. 852, and vol. xiii. p. 885.
Dec. 5Oxford; Nottingham> VenusS. to N.3" for 25°bluish.
8Shorapore; Nizam= Venus......yellowish; streak of light for several seconds.
9Yorkshire.........bright; tailed.
11Senftenburg.........bolide.
1850.*Dec. 3Prince of Wales's Straits.........Stone-fall (Miertscing, pp. 64 and 67). A specimem brought back by the Captain of the 'Investigator.'
24France.........bolide.
1851.?Jan.Embden, Germany.........a meteoric explosion in atmosphere; aërolitic?..
?8Beerb-homlarge......sunshine at time; burst; black mass seen to fall.
11Aix-la-Chapelle.........fireball; also seen at Tegau.
13Senftenburg.........ditto (or 14th Jan.)
19Holstein; Eutin.........large bolide.
Mar. 11Caffraria, S. Africa?......fireball; low down near ground, parallel to it; hissing noise.
*April 17Gütersloh, Westphalia2 lbs.N.E. to S.W.8 P.M.Stone-fall; two fragments; sp. gr. 3·55.
27Beeston; Durham¼ d. of moonN.E. to N.W.streak 5"light as day; burst; bluish. Also at Oxford.
May 22Ennore, Indialarge......purple and greenish.
24Andes, S. AmericalargeE. to W....large fireball; earthquake about the same time.
June 1CalcuttalargeN. to S....greenish.
20London; Bathlarge...streak 3½'bolide; did not burst; slow.
22London.........ditto.
22Belfast= moon nearlytowards E.streak 7'ditto; near apparently; reddish; sparks before it.
*July 7Epinal, France.........bolide and detonation.
6Paris2 > VenusE.N.E to W.S.W.4"ditto; stopt once for a moment; streak lasted 8".
Aug. 21Cherbourg2 > Venus......ditto.
12Pasis2 > VenusN.W. to S.E.quickditto.
Sept. 2Huggate2/3 d. moon......moved upwards; reddish.
19Calcutta1/5 d. moonN.E. to S.W.5"bright.
20Oxford; Surrey=½ d. moonN.W. to N.E.3" or 4"slow; long streak; light as day; also at Nottingham.
Nov. 3Nottinghamlarge......at first stationary; very blue.
4Bramcote¼ d. moon......orange.
5Tarragona, Spainsp. gr. 3·8N.E. to S.W.5½ P.M.Stone-fall; 3 fragments found; many stones fell?. Between Nulles and Vilabella, 16 leagues S.E. of Barcelona, and 4 leagues E. of Tarragona in Spain; at 5½ P.M.; clear day; brilliant fireball seen high up; with a luminous tail, which changed to a misty cloud and lasted 20'. A tremendous noise 40" after the fireball disappeared; seen over a distance of 20 leagues. Many stones fell between Vallsand Tarragona; at Nulles, one weighing 19 lbs. 8 ozs. In the villages of Vilabella and Brafim, fragments of 1 and 5 lbs.; very hot when first picked up; showed metallic particles, and black crust. Resembles the Blansko stone in composition. Extracted from a curious brochure by Dr. Joaquin Balcells, Nat. Hist. Professor at Barcelona.
1851Nov. 18Cherbourg.........bolide.
1852Jan. 3Cracow.........ditto.
19Leipzig½ moonN.W. to S.E....ditto; burst without noise.
Apr. 2Toulouse.........ditto; 17½ miles in a sec.; 105 ft d.?; 10 miles high.
Apr. 12Berne.........Fireball.
*June-DecKoruman, South Africa......nightaërolitic (according to Dr. Livingstone); stone not found, however. A detonating meteor.
July 3Dreux, France6 > Jupiter...slow, 8"bluish.
12Edinburgh, Perth2/3 d. moontowards N.E....also at Dunse and Glasgow; also Belfast?.
13Londonlarge......changed colours.
June 1St. Isabel, California...W. to E....brilliant.
Aug. 12Sidmouth= full moonnearly stationary2'like a bar 7° long and 1° wide; intense light for 30". Seen in Germany, at Munster?.
22St. Ives½ d. moon...slowwhitish; left a streak.
Sept. 24Aylesburylarge......bolide; August?.
*4Mezo-Madaras18 lbs.S.W. to N.E....Stone-fall; sp. gr. 3·50. Siebenbürgen, Transylvania.
25St. Ives...W. to E....large and curious.
?June-Dec.Great Tschuai, Africa.........aërolitic (according to Livingstone). Apparently a detonating meteor, judging from Dr. Livingstone's description; possibly the same seen at Koruman. Schuia lake?.
Sept. 28Silesia; Breslaulargevertically down8¾ A.M.seen over all Silesia; tailed; during sunshine; no noise.
*Oct. 13Borkut, Hungary12 lbs....3 P.M.Stone-fall; sp. gr. 3·24.
*17?Chihuahua, MexicolargeW. to E.8 A.M.meteor; fiery tail; slow; detonation followed.
Nov. 24Paris2 > VenusW.N.W. to E.S.E.5'bolide; burst.
Dec. 11Germany.........detonating meteor. See Supplement.
?17Dover½ d. of moonS.E. to N.W.5 A.M.fell down into sea with a hissing cracking noise and spray. Aërolitic?. noise and detonarion. lasted some time; tail 5 or 6 times longer than the body; the nucleus appeared in the center of a large black cloud: for a curious account of this phenomenon, see Transactions of the Royal Society, sitting of January 27, 1853.
1853.*Feb. 10Girgenti, Sicilysp. gr. 3·76.......Stone-fall; about 7 inches in length.
*Mar. 6Segowlee, Patnahsp. gr. 3·42...noonsome 30 stones, one 14½ lbs. India.
July 2Paris2 > VenusE.S.E. to W.N.W.3"ditto; streak lasted 5"; beautiful train.
Aug. 1Paris2 > VenusW.N.W. to E.S.E.2"bolide.
7Glasgow1/3 d. of moonN.E. to S.W.1"fireball; moved nearly straight down. 10.30 P.M.
7Paris2 > VenusW. to E....ditto.
9?.........divided into two parts.
26Mazzow......streak 10'bolide.
26Algiers.........bolide; no noise.
Sept. 2Paris6 > VenusS.W. to N.E.4"bolide; brilliant; fine train for 10".
12France6 > VenusS.W. to N.E.streak 6'brilliant; 84° in 4".
30Leven, Fifeshire1st* to 2/3 moonN.E. to S.W.2" or 3"rather up towards zenith. 11¾ A.M.
Oct. 26Pomeranialarge......left a spiral trail.
*28Norfolk; Nottingham, &c.¾ d. of sunS.W. to N.E.4 P.M.day-light; straight down, detonation 3" after. Stones said to have been picked up in Hanover. This meteor is stated to have been 140,00 yards high at time of explosion; moved previously 15° in 3". Seen likewise in Suffolk.
Nov. 11Paris2 > VenusE. to W.2"ditto; streak 7".
*Dec. 21Germany.........detonating meteor, observed by J. Schmidt.
1854Apr. 1Nottinghamvery largeS.E. to N.W.5"brilliant; equal ½d. of moon.
1Senftenburg.........bolide.
1854MayMontpellier4' diam.......bolide. Early in May. Private notice.
?July 4Stehia, Germany?.........aërolitic (according to Wolf's Catalogue).
*17Germany.........detonating meteor.
Aug. 1Göttingen......streak 35"bolide.
16Nottingham3 > Jupiter...1½"no streak; divided itself into two balls.
29Paris2 > VenusW.N.W. to E.S.E.3"bolide; beautiful train.
30St. Iveslarge...slowbolide.
*Sept. 5Fehrbellin, Potsdam6 lbs.S.W. to N.E....Stone-fall; after a detonating meteor.
Oct. 7Nottingham¼ d. moonS.W. to N.E.rapidfireball.
?18Tabarz, Gotha1½ oz.......Iron; sp. gr. 7·737. A shephard is said to have found this iron, still burning-hot on the ground, at the fort of the Inselberg. Eberhard found it to contain 92·757 iron, 5·639 nickel, cobalt 0·791, phosphorus 0·862, schreibersite 0·277. it is not stated that any meteor was observed or detonation heard. Buchner's Feuermeteore. p. 121.
22Hitchn, Herts¼ d. moonN.E. to S.W.rapidwhite and brilliant; burst without noise..
Nov. 22Paris2 > VenusW. to E.quickbolide; long train; reddish.
Dec. 8Vienna.........ditto.
24ditto.........ditto.
1855.*May 11Oesel Isle, Baltic57 lbs.......stone; sp. gr. 3·7(2·5--3·8)..
*13Bremevörde, Hanover25+10+? lbs....5 P.M.three stones=6lbs.+3lbs.+325grammes in weight?. Sp. gr. 3·53.
June 6Paris2 > VenusN.W. to S.E....bolide; burst.
*7Ghent, Flanders......7.45 P.M.stone; sp. gr. 3·30; weight 700 grammes. St. Denis-Westrem, near Ghent. 700 grammes=1 lb. 4 ozs. of Vienna. Fell without any meteor having been observed, and without any loud noise or detonation, merely with a kind of rushing, rolling, whistling sound; it was picked up while hot, and smelling of sulphur; crust thin.
July 13Nottingham3 > Jupiter...slow, 2"bluish.
Aug. 3ditto¼ d. moontowards W.N.W.2"bluish; suddenly vanished.
*5Lincoln co., Tenn., U.S.3¾ lbs.from E.3½ P.M.stone; sp. gr. 3·20; near Petersburg (2·5--3·3). The fall was preceded by a loud report like that of a large cannon, followed by four or five less reports, &c. The fragment picked up approached from the east, and appeared whilst falling to be surrounded by a "milky" halo about two feet in diameter, and fell about 180 yards from a person who picked it up. When dug out, it was too hot to be handled.
10Nottingham5 > Jupiter...1"bluish; streak 25° long.
Oct. 14ditto4 > Jupiter......large; tail divided into two; oval..
Dec. 11Edinburgh30' d.......violet; round; tail and sparks thrown off..
19Nottingham= moon's d.N.E. to S.W.streak 10'bolide.
21Bulwell4 > Jupiter...slow 4"blue and round fireball; brilliant; 18° in 1".
1855Dec. 21Paris4' diam.S.S.E to N.N.W. 11 A.M.bolide; day-light; large as a goose-egg.
1856Jan. 7Oxford; Brighton; Havre2/3 d. of moonN.W. to S.E.2"fell nearly straight down; 45° when first seen; 5 P.M. Left a serpentine white semi-luminous train; seen in some places for 5' and even 10' after; at first like a well-defined sword or column of light. At Havre or Caen N.E. to S.W.; and some persons fancied they heard a noise. Also seen in Wilts and Isle of Wight.
*Feb. 3Nottingham; Brussels; Geneva; Paris; Baden, &c.15' d.S.W. to N.E.5"green, orange, red. At Paris, white, and burst with sparks without noise; 8.10 P.M.; intense white to blue; greatdetonation 5' after. Apparent diameter 2400 feet; velocity of 13 miles in a second; moved by jerks. At Paris 15' d., at Brussels 6' d.: explosion heard at Boesinghe-lez-Ypres; seen also at Carlsrühe, in the Vosges, at Namur, and generally from St. Gotthard to Brest. 150 miles high when first seen; went 300 miles in a few seconds; thick purplish train; oval.
6' to 15' in d.S. to N.?3" to 4"
?9Pau, S. France......daytimegreat detonation overhead for 20"; no clouds; aërolitic?. One account says 15 centimeters large, another as large as an egg, or 4' diameter; like a burning cauldron?.
29France......5 or 6" for 70°gave a bright light and threw off sparks.
*July 8Alabama, U.S.8 inches d....4 P.M.detonation 3' after first appearance. Columbus., Ala., U.S. Fireball first seen 35° above horizon; fell downwards until within 10° elevation, when it instantly disappeared; this, as seen by one observer, left a dense vapoury white cloud, which continued visible, gradually assuming a bent and zigzag shape for 15'.
30Parislarge, 4' d.E. to W.streak 4'cast shadows; white to red; hissing sound?.
Aug. 25Brussels; Namurlarge......50 miles high at first; 15 miles least distance; 300 feet d?.
25St. Ives; Portsmouthlarge...slowcurious; 8 P.M. Same as last?.
31Nottingham2/3 moon......reddish-yellow; began as a 3rd mag.*; suddenly vanished.
*Sept. 17near Civita Vecchialargevertically down10½ A.M.fell into sea with spray and hissing; aërolitic?. Seemed to fall into the sea close to a vessel, after a loud detonation; the date given for this meteor in Buchner's work on Fire meteors, is 24th May, 1855.
Oct. 27St. Ives.........fine meteor.
24Paris2 > VenusW.N.W. to E.S.E.streak 6"ditto.
29Laibach......streak 30'large bolide.
*Nov. 12Trenzano, Brescia17 lbs.+......Stone-fall; three fell; one 17 lbs. Lombardy. Trenzano (according to Haidinger).
Dec. 13Nottingham.........large and curious meteor.
?Apr. 8Colmar, Haute Rhine.........aërolitic meteor? or April 6?.
1857Jan. 9Ashford, Derbyshirelarge......bluish; bright as moon.
*Feb. 18Vienna; Hungarylarge...3 A.M.detonating meteor. Brilliant; divided into two.
*28Parnallee. Madura, Carnatic37 lbs.+150...noonstones; two large ones. India.
*Apr. 11Minesota, U.S.> full moonE. to W.4"9 P.M.; streak serpentine, lasting 2' to 10'. Left a bright streak 1° wide from the E. to W. horizon, lasting 2' or 3'; a portion of 15° for 10'.
*15Kaba, Hungary7½ lbs....eveningstone; said to contain an organic resinous matter! Kaba, Debreczin. The resinous matter like ozocerite; possibly absorbed in passing through the atmosphere, or from the earth into which it would have fallen when hot.
16Nottingham8 > Jupiterdownwardsslowbolide.
July 20St. Ives...stationary5'afterwards passed slowly downwards; brilliant.
22Paris2 > VenusS.S.E. to N.N.W....bolide.
Aug. 11Paris...S.E. to N.W....ditto.
25Portsmouth; St. Ives1/3 d. moon...2"burst into fragments and sparks; no noise.
Sept. 29Nottingham6 > Jupiter...11° in 1·50"bluish; curious; no streak; no noise.
*Oct. 1Yonne, France......4½ P.M.stone.
*10Ohaba, Transylvania29 lbs....eveningstone; sp. gr. 3·1. Carlsburg, Siebenburgen.
29Paris...E. to W....fireball; broke into 4 or 5 separate balls. See Supplement. The separated fireballs seemed to hop and then fall perpendicularly; immediately after they had vanished, the tail or streak, which seemed to have been formed out of the numberless sparks, quickly disappeared.
*Dec. 17Germany, Westphalia, &c.largeS.W. to N.E.4.55 P.M.fireball; 4 or 5 detonations in 1½' at a height of 4 miles. At Olsberg in Westphalia, 4 or 5 detonations heard 1½' after it had burst; over Luxemburg, 10 or 11 miles high. Heis says it was not more than 7½ miles over the spot where it exploded. Colour yellowish-green; divided soon into 4 fragments.
*27Pegu, Birmah...W. to E.2.30 A.M.Stone-fall; sp. gr. 3·74. Three stones fell. At Quenggoug, near Bassein in Pegu (see Haidinger's account in the Transactions of the Imperial Academy at Vienna, vol. xlii. 1860). Two stones picked up about 1 mile apart, which seemed to dovetail; a third fell about 10 miles further. A great meteor seen by some two or three times larger than the moon; moved very slowly; great detonations heard also.
Nov. 19Barmen, &c..........fireball; 10 miles high at first, last seen only 6 miles..
1857.?Aug.Independence co., Iowa, U.S..........Stone-fall; according to Shephard.
1858Jan. 10Leeds...N.W. to S.E....burst with reddish sparks; brilliant.
31Cornwall= moon......crescent-like; elongated; fell rotating and giving off sparks.
May 4Aylesburyelectric?......ignited globe, set fire to a straw yard, exploding with noise. Hit a cow; smell of sulphur; no stone found; probably electrical.
*19Kakova, Bannat29 lbs....8 A.M.stone; in Hungary, near Oravitza, sp. gr. = 3·38.
31Nottingham¼ d. of moon...2½"burst and disappeared; bluish.
*Aug. 1Heredia(Costa Rica)sp. gr. 3·70......Stone-fall; according to Harris, S. Mexico.
?4Berlin, Stettin, &c.......6"fireball; detonation?. Seen also at Münster and Oderberg. See Buchner's work, pp. 171 and 181. This meteor is said to have twice changed its direction each time of its apparent bursting, and sending out reddish-coloured sparks.
12Paris2 > VenusS.S.E. to N.N.W.streak 3'bolide.
13London1/3 d. of moon......tail 2° long; whitish-red; sparks; uniform; vanished as a point.
*Sept. 13N. of France; Rennes...S.E. to N.W.6"cast shadows; 7 P.M..; strong detonation?; rapid. At Neuilly, and also in Brittany.
?13Germany.........detonating meteor. Same as last?.
Dec. 2Herefordshire...slow vertically downstreak 3"afternoon by day-light.
*9Aussun, Haute Garonne16+90 lbs....7 P.M.2 stones; sp. gr. 3·4; Montrejean, France; 51 kilos. Canton de Montrejean (Haute Garonne); one stone of 43 kilogrammes fell at Aussun, and one of 8 at Clarac, according to Comptes Rendus.
1859Jan. 2Somersetshire2 > Jupiter......bolide.
Feb. 23Nottingham1* to 1/5 moon's d....slow, 8"burst; blue colour.
Mar. 18Wolverhampton.........magnificent meteor.
1859.*Mar. 28Harrison co., Kentucky, U.S.sp. gr. 3·45...4 P.M.Stone-fall; several small ones found after a detonating meteor; 2 lbs. Four reports heard like bursting of bombshells; then smaller reports, and stones fell hissing through the air over an area of 4 miles square. March 26?.
30Nottingham½ d. of moontowards N.slowred, pink, orange. Train of light for 50"; brilliant.
June 26London; Yorkshire; Lancashire15' d.slow vertically down...no tail; globular.
July 27Athens...very slow12" for 28°greenish; cash shadows; began and ended as a point.
15Paris2 > VenusS.E. to N.W.streak 2"bolide.
*Aug. 7Germany; Westphalia...S.W. to N.E.8½ P.M.detonating meteor; tailed; rushing sounds heard.
*11New York co., U.S.6 ozs.S.W. to N.E.7.20 A.M.Stone-fall and detonating meteor; only 6 ozs. picked up; sp. gr. 3·56. At Bethlehem, New York.
11Athens......streak 3'40"fine meteor.
*Sept. 1W. Tennessee, U.S.......10 A.M.day-time; meteoric, detonations over 40 square miles.
?24Jacobshof, Switzerland......11½ A.M.detonation heard; no fireball seen.
?24Edlitz, Vienna......11 A.M.strong detonation, and whizzing sounds heard overhead. Same as last?.
25Nottingham.........fireball.
Nov. 14Sandwich Islands= moonlightN. to S....fine meteor; moved straight downwards..
*15New Jersey, U.S.1/3 d. of sunN.E. to S.W.9½ A.M.rapid; brilliant; tailed; smoky train; detonations. A most remarkable meteor. Explosions heard over 55 miles square for two or three minutes; seen in Connecicut, New Jersey, New York, Baltimore and Virginia; report equal to the firing of 1000 cannon. No stones found, probably fell in the water. Proper motion = at least 30 miles a second; orbit hyperbolic?; not therefore a member of the solar system?. Time of flight 2" for 20° of an arc. It was vertical over the southern part of New Jersey; and would probably fall into Delaware Bay. When overhead, only a flash seen, and loud reports about a minute afterwards, with some curling smoky clouds; visible path about 110 miles in 2 seconds; apparent motion about 55 miles a second, as far as could be guessed. Seen in full sunshine. Height when burst about 4 to 10 miles. Two series of explosions. See Journal of the Franklin Institute for 1860. Mr. Benjamin V. Marsh, in his Report on this meteor, very reasonably considers the audible explosion, lasting two or three minutes, to be the result of the bursting of the meteor; for through the meteor might really occupy only half a second in bursting, yet in that interval the noise would be distributed over a distance of 20 or 30 miles, and thus the sound would appear to last several minutes to an observer stationed at one spot. It is supposed that this meteor first became luminous at a height of about 100 miles.
*28S. W. of Bohemia.........brilliant bolide; detonation..
Dec. 5at sea, 13° 20' N., 50° E....verticaly down in W.sunsetleft a bright white cloud for 15', which gradually changed shape.
9Münster1/5 moon......fireball; in the direction of Brussels.
1860Jan. 24Beeston, Notts4 > Jupiter...7"fireball.
Feb. 2Alessandria, Piedmont...N.N.W. to S.S.E.5"A stone-fall
Feb. 11Sidmouth...N.N.W. to S.S.E.5"ditto; burst into globular masses.
Mar. 2Beeston, Notts4 > Jupiter
10Leeds; Derby; Dublin2/3 moonE. to W.?2" to 5"ditto; oval, tailed; bar-like. Seen also at Bradford, Newport, Salop, Blackburn, and in Cheshire; purple, reddish, greenish after bursting! cast shadows.
14Beeston6 > Jupiter
*May 1New Concord, Ohio, U.S.700 lbs.S.E. to N.W.30° in 3"Stone-fall; nany fell; sp. gr. 3·54. 12.45 P.M. The meteor appeared of the size of the moon at stations about 25 miles from its direct path; its calculated velocity was 4 miles per second; height when it exploded about 41 miles; it appeared, however, to pass on after dropping the stones. Assumed diameter of the body 3/8 of a mile; nucleus brilliant; train conical=12 diameters; black stones fell through the clouds with a whizzing sound directly after the explosions. Detonations heard over 150 miles square. The stones, of which about 30 were found, one weighing 103 lbs., others 36 and 54, &c., fell over an area 10 miles long by 3 wide; the larger ones furthest in the direction of the meteor. At New Concord, the sounds were heard first nearly overhead, and lastly, 45° below the zenith, i.e. at a point where the meteor probably first burst. Twenty-three distinct sounds first heard like cannon-shots, and then the sounds were blended together like musketry; lasted 2 minutes about; stones angular.
?July 6Baton Rouge, Misslarge......large meteor; burst with noise of a cannon; electrical?.
20Nantwich; Liverpoolbrilliant......fireball; globular; burst like a rocket.
*20Unites States= moonE. to W.20"ditto; slow; divided with noise into two; tailed.
20 or 21United States...W. to E....ditto; as large as a cocoa-nut; different one from the last. Seen over a length of 1000 miles by 500 in width; and in 13 States about 9.45 P.M. At first a single ball, afterwards divided with a report in about 3' into two, followed by a train of sparks and fire; bluish; very brilliant; moved extremely slowly, and apparently almost across the entire heavens;seemed very near when almost overhead; absolute velocity in space calculated to have been 26 miles a second; apparent velocity 12 or 13 only. At its nearest approach to the earth about 41 milesdistant; was supposed not to fall to the earth, but to have passed off with a convex curve. One of the most remarkable and best observed meteors on record. Train 9° long; distance of first ball from second after dividing, calculated to have ben two miles. Appeared to move horizontally.
22Budleigh Salterton, DevonlargeE. to W.30" slowfireball; parallel to horizon for 45°.
*14 or 28Dhurmsala, Kangra, Punjab420 lbs.+N.W. to S.E.2¼ P.M.Stone-fall; many large ones; flames in sky and great detonations. Kangra, N.E. of Lahore, india. For an account of this remarkable fall, see the "Times" newspaper, end of December 1860. A series of shocks and explosions frightened the inhabitants, and shook the mountains; all the phenomena painfully sublime and alarming; lasted a long time; to the noises succeeded flames of fire (12 feet long?), like the flames from a cannon-mouth; then a great shower of meteoric stones ploughed up the earth in numbers. Another account says the fall took place at Dharamsala, July 14. A great fiery body was seen, then a great detonation, which shook the ground, followed by 14 or 15 smaller ones. One stone was picked up which was so intensely cold as to benumb the fingers and hands. See Haidinger's paper in the 42nd volume of the Transactions of the Imperial Academy of Vienna. Specimens are being sent to Europe.
Aug. 6New Haven, N. YorklargeS. to N....fireball; brilliant; 7¾ P.M.
*2Tennessee. U.S.2/3 moonE. to W.10 P.M.ditto; detonation in 3 or 4 minutes.
Oct. 13Dover= ½moonN.N.W. to S.S.Eslowfireball; 25° arc; burst; white nucleus 9½ P.M.., and red sparks..
1861Jan. 5Bermuda...E. to W....brilliant meteor, followed by a terrific report when over the sea at some distance from land (New York paper, of Feb. 24).

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