Guide To Mars – First Edition – 1977 – Signed By Patrick Moore

By Patrick Moore
Guildford and London: Lutterworth Press, 1977

First UK edition. Signed and inscribed by the author.

Octavo, original black cloth boards lettered in gilt to spine, in the original unclipped dustwrapper. Illustrated throughout with photographic plates, orbital imagery and diagrams. A particularly attractive association copy of one of Sir Patrick Moore’s most important and enduring works on planetary astronomy, inscribed in the year of publication:

“To Steve Whitehead, with all best wishes / Patrick Moore / 1983 May 20.”

Written at a pivotal moment in the history of space exploration, Guide to Mars captures the extraordinary scientific excitement generated by NASA’s Viking missions of 1976, which transformed humanity’s understanding of the red planet. Patrick Moore, the twentieth century’s most recognisable popular astronomer and one of Britain’s great scientific communicators, synthesises centuries of Martian observation with the then revolutionary discoveries being transmitted from the Martian surface.

The work was published only months after Viking 1 and Viking 2 returned their historic images and atmospheric data from Mars, making this one of the earliest substantial popular accounts to incorporate the findings of the Viking landings into a coherent historical and scientific narrative. Moore traces the story of Mars from antiquity and early telescopic observation through to the space age, examining the evolution of Martian mythology, the nineteenth-century canal controversies, planetary geology, atmospheric science and the future possibilities of human exploration.

At the time of publication, Patrick Moore occupied a unique position within British cultural life. Already internationally famous through the BBC’s The Sky at Night, which he had presented continuously since 1957, Moore served as a crucial bridge between professional astronomy and public enthusiasm for space science. His ability to communicate complex astronomical ideas with immediacy and clarity helped shape a generation’s fascination with the Moon landings, deep-space exploration and observational astronomy.

Guide to Mars belongs to the mature phase of Moore’s publishing career, when his books increasingly combined historical scholarship with contemporary scientific developments. The text is notable for its balance between technical authority and accessibility, allowing both serious amateur astronomers and general readers to engage with rapidly developing discoveries about Mars. Moore contextualises Viking’s findings within earlier astronomical debates, particularly the long shadow cast by Percival Lowell’s controversial theories concerning Martian canals and possible intelligent life.

The visual material throughout the volume is especially significant. The dustwrapper itself incorporates dramatic Viking imagery of the Martian surface and Olympus Mons, reflecting the powerful visual impact of space photography during the late 1970s. Internally, the book reproduces numerous photographs, maps and scientific illustrations documenting the changing understanding of Mars during the twentieth century. Seen today, these early Viking images possess an extraordinary historical atmosphere: they capture the moment when Mars first ceased to be an abstract astronomical object and became a physically observed landscape.

Moore’s treatment of the history of Martian observation is particularly engaging. He carefully charts the progression from early telescopic drawings to increasingly sophisticated photographic and spectroscopic studies, examining how scientific interpretation was often shaped by cultural expectations and imaginative projection. The famous “canals” debate — which dominated public perceptions of Mars for decades — is explored with characteristic enthusiasm but also with measured scepticism, demonstrating Moore’s ability to balance romance and scientific rigour.

The book additionally reflects a fascinating transitional moment in space science. Published before the era of digital imaging, Mars rovers and high-resolution orbital mapping, Guide to Mars preserves the sense of mystery and speculative possibility that still surrounded the planet in the late 1970s. Questions regarding microbial life, atmospheric evolution and future human exploration remained open in ways that now feel historically revealing. Moore communicates that atmosphere of anticipation exceptionally well.

Signed and inscribed copies of Patrick Moore’s books remain highly collectible, particularly substantial scientific works from the height of his fame during the 1970s and 1980s. Unlike many modern celebrity signatures, Moore’s inscriptions often feel notably personal and direct, reflecting his longstanding engagement with amateur astronomers and readers. Association copies and dated inscriptions from this period are increasingly sought after.

Condition: Book near fine in original black cloth boards with bright gilt lettering to spine. Internally very clean and well preserved throughout. Inscription clear and bold to front free endpaper. The dustwrapper remains in very good plus condition with light rubbing and minor shelf wear only. No significant tears or loss with only minor fading to the spine.

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