Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis - Astronomie nautique : ou Éléments d'astronomie, Tant pour un Observatoire fixe, que pour... - 1743

Rare first edition of Maupertuis's astronomical navigation manual (1688-1744), adorned with 5 wood-engraved figures in the text.

Maupertuis (1698-1759) attempted to establish a new theory to explore all the methods by which the latitude of a location can be determined, whether on land or at sea.

This work contains analytical formulas for finding latitude, declination, the current time, sunrise and sunset, the equation of heights, refractions, etc. (see Lalande).

Vintage binding, full havana marbled calf, ornamented spine with raised bands. Rolls on the edges, spotted edges.

Condition: minor fittings, bottom corners pierced, missing fragment in the headboard. Interior fresh and clean. Very good condition.

Maupertuis notably contributed to the dissemination of Newton's theories outside England, and to the establishment of the principle of least action.

Pierre-Louis Moreau de Maupertuis
Nautical Astronomy: or Elements of Astronomy, both for a fixed observatory and a mobile observatory
Paris, Royal Printing House, 1743
in-8 (20 x 13 cm); xl-(8)-98 pages.