Cambridge Library Collection - Astronomy
2 total works
French astronomer Camille Flammarion (1842–1925) firmly believed that science should not be the preserve of elites. His passion for the discoveries of his time is palpable throughout this classic introduction to astronomy, which stands as a landmark in the history of popular science writing. It features 360 illustrations, including highly detailed maps of the Moon and Mars, the latter being of special interest for Flammarion as he compared and contrasted it with the Earth. Originally published in 1880, the work won the approval of the Académie Française and the Minister of Public Instruction. This reissue is of the version that appeared in 1881 after 50,000 copies had already reached an enthusiastic readership. Its translation into English as Popular Astronomy (1894) and another accessible work by Flammarion, Le Monde avant la création de l'homme (1886), are also reissued in this series.
French astronomer Camille Flammarion (1842-1925) called the study of the heavens 'the science which concerns us most'. He believed that learning 'what place we occupy in the infinite' could delight and instruct, and might even promote an end to war and strife. Flammarion dedicated the present work to Francois Arago (1786-1853), author of earlier work on popular astronomy. Since Arago's time, the capabilities of telescopes and other instruments had vastly improved, advancing understanding in areas such as the composition of stars. Flammarion sought to bring this new knowledge to the public in a charming yet 'scrupulously exact' style. His highly illustrated introduction to astronomy succeeded in reaching a wide readership, selling over 100,000 French copies before this English translation appeared in 1894. The 1881 French version and Flammarion's work on the origins of the Earth, Le Monde avant la creation de l'homme (1886), are also reissued in this series.