Moon: Past, Present and Future

by Ben Moore

It's been fifty years since the Apollo astronauts first walked on the Moon, one of the greatest accomplishments of mankind. Now, there is a new space race to the Moon. In the last few years, all of the world’s major space agencies as well as several private space companies have announced their goals of establishing a lunar settlement by 2030. Astronomy began by observing our Moon. From folklore and myths to the first science fiction, stories about our Moon inspired scientists who turned these dreams into reality. This biography of the Moon – from its origins to its effects on our planet and on life, from the earliest legends about our celestial neighbour to the history of its discovery and exploration, from how our Moon causes the ocean tides to why we should go back and explore its surface – is a story I have long wanted to tell.

Genres: Science, History, Nonfiction, Astronomy

286 pages, Hardcover

Published November 23, 2023

Reviews

[Overdramatics · Rating 3 out of 5]

Also erstmal: dieses Cover ist ja wohl WUNDERschön *_* ich musste das Buch unbedingt haben, zumal ich mich für den Mond und Astronomie im Allemeinen interessiere. Das erste Drittel des Buches hat mir auch super gut gefallen, hier geht es insbesondere um wissenschaftliche Fakten und das Apollo-Projekt. Die letzten zwei Drittel habe ich leider eher quer gelesen und viel ausgelassen, da es hier nur noch um die Vorstellungen alter Kulturen, philosophisches etc ging und das hat mich leider nicht so interessiert :/ nichts desto trotz finde ich, dass der Autor sehr verständlich geschrieben hat und auch die wissenschaftlicheren Teile waren nicht zu trocken. Alles in allem interessant mit einem bombigen Cover :-)

[Soul · Rating 4 out of 5]

With astronomy focusing back on moon and with talks of Permanent base on moon this is a perfect starter for new decade.

Book touches on various myths, stories, to studies of its origin and our attempts to know it better. A good book indeed!

Thank you to Author for collating all this info in such a small book.

Cheers!

Ps: hopefully we'll again see generations saying they want to be Astronauts

[Düsty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Average read. Fails to mention that the earliest reference to an eclipse can be found in the Rig Veda dated to be around 1400 BC - In a later book called Pancavimsa Bramhana (dated between 900 and 600 BC), the description of the eclipse is more detailed. In 499 AD, Indian mathematician and astronomer, Aryabhata explained using pure geometrical arguments that the eclipses occur because either the moon comes between the sun and the earth or the moon goes into the shadow of the earth.

A rather puffy piece on the 'history' of the moon.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Read via Blinkist)

[Iman Shabani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not amazing, but it was a nice read and is worth a little bit of time to skim through it.

[Kathleen Messmer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but just ok. Expected more.

[Felipe CZ · Rating 2 out of 5]

How the moon has affected manking and Earth, from mythology to Apollo landing (a race between US and USSR), inspiring imagination and even beliefs.