Around the Moon (Autour de la Lune) was published by Pierre-Jules Hetzel in 1870. The novel continues directly from the cliffhanger of From the Earth to the Moon: Barbicane, Nicholl, and Ardan are sealed in their projectile, which has been deflected by the gravitational pull of a passing asteroid into a lunar orbit rather than a landing trajectory. The three men observe the Moon’s surface in detail — its craters, its mountains, its maria — while debating the question of whether the Moon is or ever was inhabited, and working on the problem of escaping lunar orbit and returning to Earth.
The technical descriptions of weightlessness, orbital mechanics, and the appearance of the lunar surface were remarkably accurate for a novel written a century before the Apollo missions. Verne described the experience of microgravity with particular precision.
Collecting Around the Moon
First edition in French (Hetzel, Paris, 1870): Hetzel cartonnage binding.
Market values:
- Hetzel first edition, fine: $1,500–$4,000
- First English edition: $300–$1,000
Projected values (2026–2036): Moderate appreciation.
The Lunar Voyage
The sequel to From the Earth to the Moon, Around the Moon (1870) follows the three travellers as they orbit the Moon, observe its surface through telescopes, and eventually return to Earth via a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. Verne’s depiction of weightlessness, the lunar landscape, and the re-entry procedure anticipate actual space travel with remarkable accuracy. The Pacific splashdown, in particular, mirrors the recovery method used by NASA a century later.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many novels did Verne write? Verne published 54 novels in his Voyages Extraordinaires series during his lifetime, plus eight posthumous novels completed or revised by his son Michel. The total body of work — including short stories, plays, and non-fiction — exceeds 80 volumes. He was the most prolific and commercially successful French author of the nineteenth century.