Page:The story of the comets.djvu/248



the least interesting of the modern developements of Cometary Astronomy is the discovery that in certain cases a relation exists between comets and meteors. Time was, not so very long ago, when comets were considered (and rightly) matters of pure Astronomy, whilst meteors of all kinds, the so-called "shooting stars" included, were looked upon as belonging to the domain of terrestrial Meteorology. How the association came to be known needs to be told in a book dealing with the matter from the astronomical side, but, as I desire to avoid going more deeply into the subject of meteors than is absolutely necessary, I must ask the reader to take on trust a few facts baldly stated, referring him to other works for details.

The facts contemplated in the foregoing remark are the following: (1) shooting stars may be seen on almost every night of the year in some part of the heavens; (2) they are more numerous at certain seasons of the year than at others; (3) whilst odd ones may often be noticed anywhere, so to