June 20, 1950
Throughout the year, we can sometimes see shooting stars on their path across the night sky- just a brief glimpse of something amazing. In the early hours of a Sunday morning, in June 1950, members of this community could see shooting stars, which “threw a dazzling blue light over southern Oklahoma and northern Texas and moved from north to south.”
The dazzling lights local people witnessed came from the intense speed of the meteor travels as it’s entering our atmosphere, and the gasses around the rock ionize. Once the rocks from other planets and outer space hit the earth, they are then known as meteorites.
Town Topics author A. Morton Smith drew attention to the efforts of Oscar E. Monning, a man from Fort Worth with a passion for meteors. He had one of the largest private collections of meteors at that time. Monning left a significant collection of both rocks from outer space and interesting letters that give historians a glimpse into the early days of the study of meteorites. At first glance, they’re just rocks, but they contain answers for scientists about planetary bodies from all over our solar system.
One of the most prominent meteor displays is in August, when the Perseids can be seen. Meteor showers get their names based on the constellation they appear to come from. The Perseids, which come in late July and August, seem to come from the Perseus constellation in the northern sky. This summer, if you’re out late or up early, take a moment to turn your attention to the beauty of the heavens. Perhaps you will witness a fleeting moment of splendor.
This project is made possible by grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and with the help of UNT Libraries.
Gainesville Daily Register Digitization Project 