* Astronomy

An event occurred in this neighbourhood a short time ago which excited a good deal of curiosity and enquiry, and which, as far as I can learn, is unprecedented in the history of the county in which it happened, and, on that account, worthy of being put on record in a more permanent publication than the ephemeral columns of a newspaper. The circumstance to which I allude is the fall of a meteoric fall on Monday, the 15th day of February, 1830, at half-past seven in the evening, in the garden of John Bucknell, a labourer in the employment of Mr. Cross, farmer, at Launton, near Bicester, Oxon. Its descent was accompanied with a most brilliant light, which was visible for many miles around, and attended with a triple explosion, which was described to me, by a person who heard it at the distance of four miles, as resembling the rapid discharge of three ordinary guns. It penetrated some newly dug mould nearly a foot deep; and, though seen to strike the earth, was not sought for till the following morning, when, of course, it had become cool.
A man named Thomas Marriot was passing near the garden at the moment, and states that it came rapidly towards him from the north-east, not perpendicularly but obliquely, appearing about the size of a cricket-ball; and that expecting it would strike him, he instinctively lowered his head to avoid it.
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