Beschreibung:

2 in 3 Bdn. 20 S., 1 Bl.; XVIII, 376 S., 4 Bll. mit 31 Textabb. 1 Tafel in Kupfertiefdruck, 1 Porträt, 1 Faltkarte und 86 Tafeln mit dazugehörigen bedruckten transparenten Auflageblättern in Lichdruck. Kl.-4°. (Bd. 1:) OHLwd. (gebräunt und etw. fleckig, bestoßen); (Bd. 2:) OLwd. (etw. fleckig und bestoßen, der Rücken des Atlas stärker fleckig).

Bemerkung:

Erste Ausgabe des kompletten Mondatlas von Johann Nepomuk Krieger mit dessen eigenhändiger Widmung in Bd. 1. - "Born in 1865 in Bavaria, Johann Nepomuk Krieger can be considered something of an `enigma` in terms of the history of Lunar observing. He is seldom mentioned in the `popular` literature, however his story is a fascinating, and moving one. Son of a master brewer he started observing the Moon as a small boy using a modest refractor. He left formal education at the age of 15, at the age of 21 he visited professor Klein director of the Cologne Observatory and an eminent astronomer in his own right. Klein encouraged Krieger to make the study of the Moon his `life`s work`. Using his inheritance to establish an observatory in the Munich suburb of Gern-Nymphenburg, and equipping it with a fine 10.6 inch Zolliger refractor, this is exactly what Krieger did, and he resolved to produce a `definitive Lunar Atlas`. Working at the same period, with the same intentions, was the `aggressive` Lunar cartographer Philipp Fauth. Fauth was a master of careful observation, his drawings of Lunar formations were superb, both in their representation and accuracy, and he quickly became well respected in astronomical circles. Not a shy man, Fauth delighted in letting everyone know his observations were second to none and that he was routinely able to observe finer details than those using larger instruments than his own. Whilst Fauth`s approach to Lunar Cartography was in the traditional manor of hand drawn representations, Krieger favoured a different method. He obtained, through Klein, negatives of the Moon taken at the Lick and Paris observatories. These low resolution images were enlarged and formed the basis of Krieger`s drawings, thus ensuring an unparalleled level of proportion and positional accuracy. Krieger added the details he observed at the telescope over a number of observing sessions and used the drawings as the basis for his superb charcoal, ink and graphite pencil drawings. These drawings were `superior` to any which had previously been produced. Fauth was quick to deride Krieger`s work, presumably fearing that his own work would be overshadowed by this new method of preparing observational drawings. n order to bring some continuity to his observations Krieger "standardised" his equipment by continually using a power of 260 and stopping down the aperture of his instrument to six and a half inches. He worked frantically to produce the drawings for his proposed atlas of the Moon, however he paid a high price for his long hours at the telescope and in his study and after a few short years Krieger`s health deteriorated and he died in 1902. Krieger completed 28 plates for the publication of volume 1 of his atlas, which he lived to see published in 1898. The remaining plates, from finished drawings to rough sketches, were collated and published some 10 years after his death in 1912, by the respected Austrian selenographer R.Konig. Philipp Fauth continued to rise in the esteem of the astronomical community, particularly in Germany, his 600 page treatise (Our Moon) was published in 1936, and remains his best known work outside Germany. His Lunar Atlases of 1895 and 1936 are testimony to his skill and perseverance as an observer. However one wonders if there would have been a different history if Krieger had lived a long and productive life. As well as the books left by Krieger his memory lives on in the numerous new names he gave to the Lunar features he observed, such as Lamont, Prinz and Yerkes which are still in use to this day" (Nigel Longshaw, The Small Collection of Important Selenographical Works Held by the Manchester Astronomical Society). - Titel mit einer eigenhändigen Widmung von Johann Nepomuk Krieger "Herrn Prof. J. von Hepperger ergebenst Der Verfasser". - Der posthum erschienen zweite Band besteht aus einem Textband und einem Atlas. Der genaue Titel lautet "Jah. Nep. Kriegers Mond-Atlas. Nach seinen an der Pia-Sternwarte angestellten Beobachtungen unter Zugrundelegung der hinterlassenen Zeichnungen und Skizzen bearbeitet und ... herausgeben von Rudolf König. Neue Folge". - Vorsätze von Bd. 1 im Falz verstärkt. Buchblöcke etw. angebrochen.Durchgehend etw. gebräunt.