Author: MAIRAN, J.J. D'ORTOUS DE
Title: Traité physique et historique de l'aurore boréale.
Description: Paris, Impr. Royale, 1733. 4to. W. large woodc. device on title, woodc. head- and tailpieces, 15 large fold. engr. pls. (depicting 30 figs.). Contemp. full clf., spine gilt. (Top of spine some dam.; upper outer hinge at bottom of spine split). [*4, A-Z4, AA-MM4, NN2 (NN2 blank)]. (VIII, 281, III (blank) pp.). (A few quires and pls. w. some light even browning.). (Inner hinges weakening; nice comb marbled original endp.). (All edges red; w. blue silk reading ribbon). DSB IX, 33/34: 'Mairan was concerned with a wide variety of subjects, including heat, light, sound, motion, the shape of the earth, and the aurora. He wanted to find physical mechanisms (in the Cartesian sense) to explain phenomena.': Wheeler 382 (2nd ed. only.): 'Inquiry into the history and physics of the Aurora Borealis; the chapter on the relation between the aurora and the magnetic declination is of special interest.': Newton Harvey, 258/9: '... an "aurora borealis" is the effect of the solar atmosphere ... blending itself with the atmosphere of our earth, ...': There are many references to Descartes, Cassini, Euler and Newton. First edition of a most interesting early book and the first comprehensive treatise devoted entirely to the aurora borealis.

Keywords: science noorderlicht northern field Z3 bdrb2