Splendid Meteor

On Monday morning last, about three o'clock, we were awakened by a sudden and extremely brilliant light, which shone through the window of our sleeping apartment. On opening our eyes, we had a momentary glimpse of a vividly luminous body or trail which almost instantly passed out of sight, and was gone. We were convinced it was a large meteor, and expected an explosion. We waited from three to five minutes, when a report burst through the welkin like a piece of heavy ordnance standing within a short distance. There was nothing in it like thunder but a perfect resemblance to the sound we have named. It shook the house very sensibly, as it did others, in one instance jarring a tooth brush from the window to the floor. Its direction was northerly, and the explosion took place, probably, over the lake.

We found, in the morning, that our citizens were generally awakened by the report, though not many saw the splendid object that occasioned it. Mr. Tracy, the stage agent, and the stage driver, were at the time at the barn, just leaving it with a fresh team, when they saw the light, and at the same time heard a cracking or crushing noise, like that of a falling tree. The source of light appeared like an oblong body of fire rushing with tremendous velocity through the air, and eight or ten inches in diameter. It seemed to approach the place where they stood in a curvilinear path and led one of them to exclaim, "it will strike the barn!" It however passed over, and disappeared as it seemed to them, about half a mile from the point of observation. In its course, it gave off frequent sparks, or streaks, from the sides, and this was probably the occasion of the snapping or gathering noise which was heard. Its disappearance was quite singular as described. The long fiery tail seemed to separate from the nucleus, or head, and the latter rushed on, emitting a dark blue flame; but there was no division of its body into fragments, or any thing else to indicate a fracture, unless indeed the very separation of the fiery and blue portions were the result of the explosion.

The light emitted was nearly as bright as day light at meridian. The shingles on distant houses were distinctly visible. Mr. Sexton, our postmaster, was at the time of its passage, assorting the mail, having two candles to furnish him light, but the light of the meteor was so great as to make them appear like burning candles in full daylight.

From all we can gather, at least three minutes must have elapsed between the disappearance of the meteor and the hearing of the report. Consequently, as sound travels at the rate of a little over thirteen miles a minute, the body of the meteor must have been nearly forty miles from us, either in elevation or horizontal distance, at the time of its explosion. Probably it was much higher than it appeared to be to gentlemen who witnessed it. The whole duration of its appearance was not more than half a minute, if it was so long.

Its elevation was 56 1-4 miles from the earth, and its diameter 1070 yards! It is worthy of remark, that most of those which have been sufficiently noticed to form any satisfactory estimate concerning them, have been found to be between fifty and sixty miles from the earth's surface.

Explosive meteors have usually, if not always been attended with the dropping of stones to the earth. The stones thus broken and fallen are generally not large, weighing from a few ounces to a dozen pounds. There have been instances, however, where huge masses have fallen. In 1795 one fell in Yorkshire, which measured 30 inches in length, and 28 1-2 in breadth, and weighed 59 pounds. It fell with such force that it sunk into the ground to the depth of twenty one inches. The most remarkable stone for size, whose fall has ever been witnessed, was one which fell in Connecticut some 25 years ago. This fell in the day time we believe. It was so bright as to be luminous, but if we mistake not, it was not attended with an explosion. It rushed down into the earth with tremendous force, and gave such a jar and rumbling as led many to suppose that an earthquake had happened. It was seen to fall and people soon repaired to the field and found its burrow. It was shortly uncovered, though

it had sunk some three or four feet beneath the surface. Its weight, if we are not much mistaken, was not far from a ton.

POSTSCRIPT.-Since writing the above, we have conversed with Mr. Horace Palmer, who was on his way from Dunkirk to this place when the meteor appeared. He was two or three miles from Dunkirk, when he appeared to be instantly surrounded with a most painfully vivid light, proceeding from a mass of fluid or jelly like substance, which fell around and upon him, producing a sulphureous [sulfurous] smell, a great difficulty of breathing, and a feeling of faintness with a strong sensation of heat. As soon as he could recover from his astonishment he perceived the body of the meteor passing above him, seeming to be about a mile high.-It then appeared to be in diameter about the size of a large steamboat pipe, near a mile in length! Its dimensions varied soon; becoming first much broader and then waning away in diameter and length until the former was reduced to about eight inches, and the latter to a fourth of a mile, when it separated into pieces which fell to the earth and almost immediately he heard the explosion, which he says was tremendous. On arriving here in the morning, his face had every appearance of having been severely scorched; his eyes were much affected, and he did not recover from the shock it gave his system for two or three days. This is really a marvellous [marvelous] story; but Mr. Palmer is a temperate and an industrious man, and a man of integrity: and we believe any one conversing with him on the subject, would be satisfied that he intends no deception; but describes the scene as nearly as possible, as it actually appeared. Probably however his agitation at his sudden introduction to such a scene, caused the meteor to be somewhat magnified to him. Witnesses here speak of the sparks which were thrown off; probably one of those sparks fell and enveloped Mr. Palmer. In addition to its light, Mr. Palmer states that its passage was accompanied by a sound like that of a car moving on a railroad, only louder.

At Salem an observer stated the meteor to be "as large as a house"-rather indefinite, but proving it to have been one of extraordinary magnitude. It was noticed at North East, Waterford, and Sugar Grove, Pa.; Harmony, Chatauque, and other towns in this county. The report was heard also at Buffalo. In Chatauque, an observer describes it as six or eight inches in diameter, and half a mile long.

We learn also that it burst about three miles beyond Fredonia, or about eighteen from this place. The report is, that a fragment has been found, a foot or more in diameter, but we know not the original authority of the statement.

If it did burst where it is represented to have done, and it was seen here until it exploded, its elevation must have been about 35 miles. This is pretty low in comparison with most of them, but it would seem from the account of Mr. Palmer that it was much lower still. Perhaps it was not observed here as long as it might have been from good points of vision.-Its course is represented by all to have been North Easterly.

In copying the above account, the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser says: "At Erie and Rochester, places about 150 miles apart in a straight line, the light was nearly as vivid as that of day. This shows the immense magnitude and great height of the meteor."