Book details
To Mars via the Moon: An Astronomical Story
Inspect the stored metadata, editorial profile, authors, categories, and local EPUB state.
Stored record
Metadata
- Gutenberg ID
- 27633
- Title
- To Mars via the Moon: An Astronomical Story
- Language
- en
- Book source
- Project Gutenberg
- Description max 80 words
-
Mark Wicks presents a narrative voyage to Mars via the Moon, blending scientific fact with imaginative storytelling. This accessible tale explores lunar landscapes, Martian canals, and alien life, aiming to educate readers on astronomy while entertaining them with a thrilling journey through space.
- Summary up to 500 words
-
In 'To Mars via the Moon,' Mark Wicks invites readers on a fictional voyage aboard an air-ship, departing from Earth to explore our celestial neighbors. The narrative begins with a close approach to the Moon, where the narrator, Professor Poynders, explains its physical characteristics, volcanic history, and lack of atmosphere to his companions, John and M'Allister. They observe the stark beauty of the lunar surface, noting its high mountains and vast craters formed by ancient volcanic activity. After passing the Moon, the air-ship continues toward Mars. The story delves into the 'Great Martian Controversy,' discussing the discovery of lines or canals on the planet's surface. Upon arrival, the travelers encounter intelligent Martians who possess bodies resembling humans but are glorified in form. The narrative describes a visit to the Martian canals, revealing their purpose in sustaining life, and a banquet where the Martians discuss social conditions on both worlds. The story includes descriptions of Martian seasons, celestial phenomena viewed from the Red Planet, and a courtship ritual. The journey concludes with a mysterious departure and a return to Earth, leaving the travelers with new perspectives on their own planet and the cosmos. Throughout, Wicks balances scientific accuracy regarding planetary distances and orbital mechanics with a restrained imagination, presenting a logical deduction of what life on Mars might entail based on contemporary astronomical theories.
- LLM editorial rating
- 4.2/5
- Download URL
- https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/27633.epub.noimages
- Local file path
-
data/epubs/pg27633.epub - Downloaded at
- 2026-07-05 10:15 UTC
People
Authors
- Mark Wicks
Classification
Categories
- Science Fiction
- Mars