The Moon Considered as a Planet, a World, and a Satellite Cambridge Library Collection - Astronomy Series

The movement of the moon in space had been well documented by the second half of the nineteenth century. In this monograph, which first appeared in 1874, James Nasmyth (1808?90) and James Carpenter (1840?99) pay closer attention to the lunar surface, notably illustrating their work with photographs of accurate plaster models. At this time, many questions about the moon's properties were still open. Could the moon support life? Did it have an atmosphere? How had its craters been formed? Marshalling the latest available evidence, Nasmyth and Carpenter provide their answers in a text accompanied by explanatory diagrams. Also included are theories on planetary formation, a discussion of lunar volcanism, and a vivid imagining of a day on the moon's surface, describing everything from low lunar gravity to the sudden, monthly sunrise. The work remains an instructive resource, reflecting the state of contemporary astronomical knowledge.

Preface; 1. On the cosmical origin of the planets of the solar system; 2. The generation of cosmical heat; 3. The subsequent cooling of the igneous body; 4. The form, magnitude, weight, and density of the lunar globe; 5. On the existence or non-existence of a lunar atmosphere; 6. The general aspect of the lunar surface; 7. Topography of the moon; 8. On lunar craters; 9. On the great ring-formations not manifestly volcanic; 10. Peaks and mountain ranges; 11. Cracks and radiating streaks; 12. Colour and brightness of lunar details: chronology of formations, and finality of existing features; 13. The moon as a world: day and night upon its surface; 14. The moon as a satellite: its relation to the earth and man; 15 Concluding summary.