Traité physique et historique de l'aurore boréale. Suite des Mémoires de l'Académie royale des sciences. Seconde édition, revûe [...].

4to: [12]-570-xxii pp. (locally fox. and brown., some unobtrusive marg. notes).

Contemp. calf (corners rounded), triple gilt rule on covers, gilt orn. spine on 5 raised bands with gilt fleur-de-lys and crowned initials (joints rubbed and locally split.), red leather label, spr. edges. Good copy.

2nd enlarged edition (first 1733) of one of the first studies of the aurora borealis by Mairan (1678-1771), French mathematician, astronomer and geophysicist, member of numerous scientific academies. Mairan's scientific work includes contributions to the theory of heat, observations of meteorological phenomena, and theoretical work on the orbital motion and rotation of the moon. Illustr. (complete) with 17 folding plates engraved by Ch. Simonneau, representing diagrams of atmospheric phenomena. Interesting copy with the gilt crowned initials of King Louis XV on spine.
Ref. Weeler Gift 382. - Lalande 454. - BnF.
Prov. François Arago (1786-1853), French astronomer and physicist (aut. signature). - BO (unidentified monogr. bookplate).
Joined: 1. Bailly, Jean-Sylvain - Histoire de l'astronomie ancienne, depuis son origine jusqu'à l'établissement de l'école d'Alexandrie. Paris, Debure fr., 1775. 4to. Contemp. marbled calf, gilt orn. spine on 5 raised bands, red edges. 1st edition illustr. (complete) with 3 folding pl. picturing Egyptian hieroglyphs. Prov. Château de Seneffe (label). - 2. Dicquemare, Jacques-François - La connoissance de l'astronomie [...]. 2e éd. [...] 26 planches. Paris, Lottin le jeune, 1771. 8vo (fox.). Contemp. marbled calf, gilt orn. spine on 5 raised bands, marbled edges. Complete with pl. (3 vol. in good condition)