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This is my first foray attempting a local astronomical society talk on the detection of meteors and decided to start with the one recorded at Gottingen about 1800. Initially I tried to plot the locations and distances, but these did not seem to tie up?
In fact, the maps in some papers were orientated east, west rather than north south. For example https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/metsoc2000/pdf/5008.pdf
I approached Bill Barton, FRAS. Deputy Director, British Astronomical Association Historical Section.
And he kindly directed me to
Ref https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b4433470&view=1up&seq=236
I have five main questions about this paper “Attempt to determine the distance, the speed and the path of the shooting stars from J.F. Benzenberg and H.W. Branders” and would appreciate direction and help.
My Questions
1 Equipped with an exact timer, a star map and a lantern supplied by their professor, Lichtenberg. What was an exact timer at this period in history? Something like a German equivalent of Harrisons’s H4? I am considering sources of error, repeatability etc.
2 Benzenberg at Clausberg, Point B, exactly where is this place? Page 225 of the Babel link, line 4 and using Google Translate I get: “They choose a cemetery in front of Clausberg, on the mountain of the same name near Gottingen for their first measurement. Point, A. On the other hand, initially a field near Ellershaufen, but after the 6th corresponding observation they moved the baseline to point ‘C’ Sesebuhl near Dransfeld.
3 Brandes at Ellershausen, Point A, should this be Elliehausen? It seems to orientate better with the maps in other papers.
Their initial measurements taken from points A and B did not support the atmospheric origin of meteors idea. So, a new baseline established from point B, length 15,615m. To point C, Sesebuhl, (51.49881N, 9.78830E a mountain peak at 445m east of Dransfeld).
4 Line 9 of the Babel link; According to Meffungen, which Mr. Obrift-Lieutenant Muller informed them in Gottingen, the former ground line was 27050, the latter 46200 parif?. Fufs (Fuss?), (2.1 geogr. Miles) long, and the azimuth of the extended was 64 1/2 degree. the latter 64 degrees far from the southern part of the meridian. (Gottingen, Hanover; Fuβ (foot) = 291mm (11.91 in))
The units of measurement seem to change depending on your geographic location in Germany at this time?
5 Finally, the table of results follows and with the aid of Google Translate, my interpretation of the table follows. Pages 224 and 227 of https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b4433470&view=1up&seq=239
My Google Translation:
Attempt
to determine the distance, the speed and
the path of the shooting stars
from
J.F. Benzenberg und H.W. Branders
PAGE 227
Number of correfp observation
Distance of the vanishing point from the Earth
The rest of the nature of the shooting stars
4th
more than 30 miles
Surpassed stars of the first size: curved
19th
23 miles
Stars equal to the first size: long
18th
20.4
Second size stars: slowly
13th
16.8
Third size stars equal: slowly
11th
16.5
Stars first to second size the same
9th
13
Second largest; curled:
12th
12.9
Second largest
22nd
11.5
First big: curly slow
7th
11.3
Second great
15th
10.8
Third great; quick
20th
10.2
First to second size: slow
16th
9.6
Fourth to fifth greats
8th
8.8
First great; curly
14th
6.9
Fifth greatest
6th
4.5
Fourth great, very quick
1st
3.5
Third great
5th
1.4
pallid (a little unreliable)
Overview of the more fully observed
Remove from the earth
Remove from the earth
of the starting point
The end point
Trail length
True speed
Inclination of the web to the vertical
12th
5 ¼ Mile
12.9 M
7.6 M
–
Faft = 0
17th
4.9 M
10.8 M
10 M
54 deg
22nd
17 M
11.5 M
8.5 M
4 to 5M in 1 sec
47 deg
20th
16 M
10.2 M
9 M
about 6M in 1 sec
54 deg
Thank you for any comments
John Pitchford
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