EULER, LEONHARD. - TAILS OF COMETS - NORTHERN LIGHTS - ZODIACAL LIGHT.

Recherches Physiques sur la Cause de la Queüe des Cometes, de la Lumiere Boreale, et de la Lumiere Zodiacale. (Physical Investigations on the tail of comets, the northern lights, and the zodiacal light)

(Berlin, Haude et Spener, 1748). 4to. No wrappers as issued in "Memoires de L'Academie Royale des Sciences et des Belles Lettres.", Tome II, pp. 117-140 and 2 folded engraved plates.

First printing. "Euler rejects the view of de Mairan that the zodiacal light is the cause of the tails of comets and the northern lights; instead Euler argues that zodiacal light is the results of particles emanating from the sun, the tails of comets is the results of particles emanating from the bodies of the comets, and that the northern lights is the results of particles emanating from the earth...he also infers the existance of a solar atmosphere from the existance of sun-spots. He calculates the form of the solar atmosphere and arrives at a cubic equation." (Based on Aiton's introduction to Opera Omnia).
Enestrom: 103.

Order-nr.: 46604