The Moon's Face: A Study of the Origin of It's Features
Washington: Philosophical Society of Washington, 1893. First Edition, First Printing. Original wraps. 5 7/8 X 9 1/4 Inches. Good. Item #9561
Very scarce original tract from the first Senior Geologist of the US Geological Service. Gilbert's study of the moon led him to be the first to correctly identify the craters on the moon as having been caused by impact. This text reprints the address Gilbert gave as retiring President of the Society on December 10, 1892. Gilbert is widely known to students of geology for his work on the Meteor Crater in Arizona as well as his studies of the San Andreas fault and the Rockies. The Moon's Face by Grove Karl Gilbert represents one of the earliest serious scientific attempts to interpret the Moon’s surface using geological principles developed on Earth. At a time when many still speculated wildly about lunar features, Gilbert applied careful observation and reasoning to argue that impact cratering - not volcanic activity alone - played a dominant role in shaping the Moon’s landscape. This was a forward-thinking idea that helped lay groundwork for modern planetary science, even though it wasn’t fully accepted until decades later. The work also reflects the broader emergence of planetary geology, showing how scientists began to treat other worlds as places that could be studied systematically rather than imaginatively, making Gilbert’s contribution both historically influential and foundational for how we understand not just the Moon, but the surfaces of planets across the solar system.
SCARCE IN COMMERCE.
100% complete first separate printing (pages numbered 241 to 292). Remnants of original issue covers present. BEARS A "COMPLIMENTS OF THE AUTHOR" STAMP ON FRONT COVER. This copy from the Geology Department of Williams College with a few associated stamps.
Price: $300.00