Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds

Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle (1657 - 1757)
Translated by William Gardiner (1672 - 1719)

This book is a popular science book written in the late 1600s. It is written as a series of conversations between a gallant philosopher and a countess, while walking in her garden and gazing at the stars. The philosopher explains the heliocentric (sun as the centre) model of the solar system and also muses on the possibility of extraterrestrial life. While it explains the heliocentric model, unlike other astronomy works of the time, it did not attract the attention of the Church. (Summary by TriciaG, modified from Wikipedia)

Genre(s): *Non-fiction, Early Modern, Astronomy, Physics & Mechanics

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 Preface michelekilpatrick
00:09:19
Play 01 To Monsieur R. michelekilpatrick
00:02:21
Play 02 That the Earth is a Planet which Turns on Itself and Round the Sun Part 1 michelekilpatrick
00:15:49
Play 03 That the Earth is a Planet which Turns on Itself and Round the Sun Part 2 michelekilpatrick
00:18:53
Play 04 That the Moon is an Inhabited World Part 1 michelekilpatrick
00:14:42
Play 05 That the Moon is an Inhabited World Part 2 michelekilpatrick
00:20:59
Play 06 Some Particulars Concerning the World in the Moon, and Proofs of the other Planets being likewise Inhabited Part 1 michelekilpatrick
00:17:27
Play 07 Some Particulars Concerning the World in the Moon, and Proofs of the other Planets being likewise Inhabited Part 2 michelekilpatrick
00:13:05
Play 08 Some Particulars concerning the Worlds of Venus, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn Part 1 Lucretia B.
00:28:57
Play 09 Some Particulars concerning the Worlds of Venus, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn Part 2 michelekilpatrick
00:14:14
Play 10 That the fix'd Stars are so many Suns, every one of which gives Light to a World Part 1 michelekilpatrick
00:18:21
Play 11 That the fix'd Stars are so many Suns, every one of which gives Light to a World Part 2 michelekilpatrick
00:14:39
Play 12 Some New Observations that confirm what has been laid down in the preceeding Discourses and several late Discoveries which have been made in the Heavens Part 1 Availle
00:15:52
Play 13 Some New Observations that confirm what has been laid down in the preceeding Discourses and several late Discoveries which have been made in the Heavens Part 2 Availle
00:18:27