THE MOON
Copernicus and the Carpathian Mountains.
PREFACE
The reader familiar with astronomical literaturewill doubtless remark a certain resemblancebetween the plan on which this book is writtenand that of Fontenelle’s “Conversations on thePlurality of Worlds,” a French classic of theeighteenth century. The author freely acknowledgesthat it was the recollection of the pleasurewhich the reading of Fontenelle’s book gave him,years ago, that led to the adoption of a somewhatsimilar plan for this description of the moon.But, except that in both cases the conversationalmethod is employed, no great likeness will befound between what is here presented and thework of the witty Frenchman.
Having been invited by the Messrs. Appleton &Co. to prepare a small volume, to be based on aseries of lunar photographs representing themoon as it appears on successive evenings duringvian entire lunation, the author felt that the workshould be made as entertaining as possible. Hehas, therefore, avoided technicalities, while endeavoringto present all the most essential factsknown about our satellite. What he has writtenis intended for the general reader, who desiresto learn the results of the great advances in astronomywithout being too much troubled withthe scientific methods by whose aid those resultshave been reached.
This is the first time, as far as the author isaware, that a series of lunar photographs, showingour satellite in its varying aspects from Newto Old Moon, has been presented in a book, accompaniedwith a description of the mountains,plains, volcanoes, and other formations shownin each successive photograph. The reader isenabled to place himself, as it were, in an observatoryof the first rank, provided with the mostpowerful apparatus of the astronomer, and, duringan entire month, view the moon in her changingphases.<