Recherches sur la précession des équinoxes, et sur la nutation de l'axe de la Terre dans le système newtonien.

Paris, chez David l'aîné, 1749. In-4 de XXXVIII-[2]-184 pages et 4 planches dépliantes. Demi-basane brune, dos lisse orné de filets et fleurons dorés, non rogné (reliure XXe). Quelques rares rousseurs.

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Edition originale. "A masterly Work" DSB. Dans ce mémoire, D'Alembert étudie le problème des trois corps et les équinoxes. Ce phénomène, dont la période est de 26 000 ans, avait été constaté par Hipparque dans l’Antiquité. Newton avait compris que la cause de ce phénomène résidait dans l’action des forces de gravitation sur le corps non rigoureusement sphérique qu’est le globe terrestre. Mais c’est à d’Alembert qu’il revint de pousser les calculs et d’obtenir des résultats numériques en accord avec l’observation. "The precession of the equinoxes, a problem previously attacked by Clairaut, was very difficult. D'Alembert's method was similar to Clairaut's, but he employed more terms in his integration of the equation of motion and arrived at a solution more in accord with the observed motion of the earth." in Dictionary of Scientific Biography.First edition. "A Masterly Work" DSB. In this thesis, D'Alembert studies the problem of the three bodies and the equinoxes. This phenomenon, whose period is 26,000 years, was found by Hipparchus in ancient times. Newton had understood that the cause of this phenomenon was the action of the forces of gravitation on the non-rigorously spherical body that is the terrestrial globe. But it is Alembert who returned to push the calculations and obtain numerical results in agreement with the observation. "The precession of the equinoxes, a problem previously attacked by Clairaut, was very difficult. D'Alembert's method was similar to Clairaut's, but he employed more terms in his integration of the equation of motion and arrived at a solution more in accord with the observed motion of the earth." in Dictionary of Scientific Biography. Some rare foxing.