"Observations by Canton men of the large meteor which swept over and was plainly visible in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio on October 5 last," said an article in The Repository in September 1908, "play an important part in a scientific discussion of this phenomenon in a U.S. weather publication just received by Prof. C.F. Stokey of the local weather observatory."
Almost a year after the "peculiar appearance" of the meteor in the sky over Stark County, people were still talking about it. Scientists still were studying the fiery object. People in Canton still were impressed that they were a part of the astronomical event. And The Repository was still writing about it.
The discussion was kept alive by Prof. Henry A. Peck, who wrote the weather publication article. Peck based his conclusions on the sightings of 80 people in several states and Canada.
"On Saturday evening, October 5, 1907, at 9:55 p.m., a very large meteor was seen to pass from a position over the ocean east of the New Jersey coast to the vicinity of Warren, Ohio," said Peck. "It was widely noticed in the daily press of the principal cities along its route, including New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington. ...
"Several observers speak of a peculiar appearance of the sky at the point where the meteor first appeared. Only two observers mentioned that the meteor separated into parts. These are both near the end of the flight."
CONFLICTINGREPORTS
Observers of the event were precise, but conflicting, in their reports of the meteor's position, according to Stokey, providing information from Peck's report.
"According to B.W. Adair of Leesville, Ohio, the meteor disappeared four or five degrees east of north. J.A. Wertz, of Canton, Ohio, reports that it passed from sight at 11 degrees south of east," The Repository reported. "This seems to be an error, however, as E.L. Vogelgesang, of the same place, reports that it came from a point on the eastern horizon, a little south of the vertical circle passing through the point where the belt of Orion rises, and it passed to the north."
Got it?
It gets more confusing.
"The meteor is somewhat peculiar in that it apparently failed to penetrate the lower levels of the atmosphere," noted Stokey. "The elevation of the point of disappearance was listed at 24 miles in Washington, 28 miles in Canton, and 20 or 17 miles in two other locations. "The average of these, places the point of disappearance at an altitude of 22 miles above the surface, near the boundary line between Trumbull and Portage counties, and about 10 miles north of west from the city of Warren."
COLOR DESCRIPTIONS
"In a table covering the descriptions of the meteor, by the various correspondents, its color is given by different persons as dark orange, reddish, red, white with yellow tinge, and red hot copper," reported The Repository. "In the size the testimony of Edwin Vogelgesang (of Canton) that it was one-half the size of the moon corresponds with the testimony from Ocean Grove, New Jersey.
"Concerning the intensity of its light, one report says that electric lights were dwarfed, another that the shadows of trees were removed, another that 'It was bright enough to read by.' While some reports say that no noise was heard, others speak of a roar, an explosion, and one claims that houses trembled."
Indeed, this was a "peculiar appearance." But, a year later, Stokey was more interested in its disappearance.
"Professor Stokey calls attention to the fact that nowhere in the discussion is there any information of the meteor landing," explained the newspaper, "and he is interested in knowing what caused its disappearance."
(Original headline: 'Peculiar appearance': Meteor sighted in Canton 100 years ago )
