THREE LEONID METEOR PHOTOS TURN OUT WELL

Two plates of Leonid meteor spectra and one direct photograph of a leonid have been obtained to date from the observations made by members of the staff and students of the Harvard Observatory on the nights of Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, November 14, 15, and 17.

Over 100 meteors were observed visnally on the first night, about 50 on the second, and 30 on the final evening. The main part of the visual observation was conducted by students of the Astronomy 1 course. Observation was carried on at the three Harvard stations in this vicinity, as well as at their other stations in other sections of the country, belonging to the University. The reports from the latter stations have not yet been received. Reports have been tabulated, however, from the Oak Ridge, Hopkinton, and Belmont stations. At Oak Ridge nine cameras were installed, at Hopkinton five, while three cameras were used at the Belmont station.

The two Leonid meteor spectra, which the Observatory has obtained, are the first spectra of this kind ever to have been photographed. With the new photographs, the staff of the Observatory hopes to be able to study the conditions under which Leonid meteoric radiation is produced.