Burnham's Celestial Handbook - a work of art

Hallo all. I recently bought all three volumes of Burnham's Celestial
Handbook (Dover Books) and was absolutely stunned by this work. Many
people have paid tribute over the years to the significance of the
late Robert Burnham Jr's magnum opus, which is at once a work of art
and of science: it simply has no peer. I just wanted to add my penny's
worth.

For those as yet unfamiliar with the Celestial Handbook (published
1977), it's a dense and brilliantly descriptive survey of the entire
night sky - AFAIK the most comprehensive survey of its kind currently
available. And for those whose enjoyment of Astronomy lies primarily
in visual observation, the descriptions provided are a constant
delight. It's unique because, in addition to its wealth of scientific
data, the Celestial Handbook addresses the "human" aspects of
astronomy from a pan-cultural, historical perspective, and of the
majesty of Universe as expressed through poetry. It's a book one can
curl up with and savour, such is the quality and breadth of his
treatment of the stars. It's the original "Hitch-Hiker's Guide" to the
Galaxy, no less.

That Robert Burnham died in abject poverty, that his circumstances
were so reduced at the time of his death, that his life took such a
downturn, is very upsetting given the legacy he has left in his
Handbook. I'm just amazed that it could have happened at all. He
should've been a near-celebrity in astronomical circles "in life", but
alas that didn't happen (just as well perhaps, considering Mr
Burnham's acute shyness). Ironically, he was considered an "amateur"
astronomer by the astronomy "establishment" at Lowell and elsewhere
till the day he died. This "Staff Member, Lowell Observatory 1958-79",
as he is described in the Handbook's Frontspiece, says it all.

For more info on Robert Burnham's life, see this extraordinary article
by Tony Ortega in the Phoenix New Times:


http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/issue...l/1/index.html


Finally, I really do hope that someone, preferably an author committed
to preserving Burnham's sensibilities, undertook the doubtless mammoth
task of bringing his Celestial Handbook up-to-date. What a wonderful
project that would be - and what a tribute to Robert Burnham's memory!

Regards,


Anthony

Anthony PDC wrote:

Hallo all. I recently bought all three volumes of Burnham's Celestial
Handbook (Dover Books) and was absolutely stunned by this work.

etc.

Thanks, I requested the set from my local library to take a peek first
whilst waiting for a Celestron 9¼ AS-GT to come some day, hopefully.

it's a dense and brilliantly descriptive survey of the entire
night sky - AFAIK the most comprehensive survey of its kind currently
available.

Hi Anthony:

The _Nightsky Observer's Guide_ has considerably more objects, and is probably
more oriented toward the working, modern observer. But that doesn't take
anything away from Burnhams...it IS a work of art, and will endure.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

(Rod Mollise) wrote in news:20031009234754.12962.00000054
@mb-m19.aol.com:

Nightsky Observer's Guide

Sounds interesting Rod. Are there two editions? It is $55 per volume on
Amazon, and apparently $34.95 from the editior's web site.

Sounds interesting Rod. Are there two editions? It is $55 per volume on
Amazon, and apparently $34.95 from the editior's web site.


Hi:

AFAIK, there's only one edition...nice, too.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

On 10 Oct 2003 20:26:21 GMT, (Rod Mollise) wrote:

Sounds interesting Rod. Are there two editions? It is $55 per volume on
Amazon, and apparently $34.95 from the editior's web site.


Hi:

AFAIK, there's only one edition...nice, too.

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

Thank you for your recommendation Rod - I had no idea that "The Night
Sky Observer's Guide" existed; it certainly sounds like my cup of tea.

Like Pierre, I find that it comes in two volumes - Vol One: Spring and
Summer, Vol Two: Autumn and Winter. It seems to be out of print, and
scarce. I've just ordered Vol Two (used) on Amazon for US $55. Some
sources are asking as much as $160 for both volumes (eeek!).

Regards,

Anthony

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 21:56:26 -0400, Anthony PDC
wrote:


Like Pierre, I find that it comes in two volumes - Vol One: Spring and
Summer, Vol Two: Autumn and Winter. It seems to be out of print, and
scarce. I've just ordered Vol Two (used) on Amazon for US $55. Some
sources are asking as much as $160 for both volumes (eeek!).

Regards,

Anthony


It's not out of print, nor is it scheduled to be as far as I know.
They're still for sale by the publisher for US$34.95 each at
http://www.willbell.com/handbook/nitesky.htm

- Craig

Craig Levine
Secretary
RASC, Halifax Centre
www.halifax.rasc.ca

It seems to be out of print, and
scarce. I've just ordered Vol Two (used) on Amazon for US $55. Some
sources are asking as much as $160 for both volumes (eeek!).


HI Anthony:

Hmmm...last time I checked it was readily available from Willman-Bell.

If it is out of print...what am I bid for my and Dorothy's autographed volumes?
Just kiddin'...I find this too useful to part with. ;-)

Peace,
Rod Mollise
Author of _Choosing and Using a Schmidt Cassegrain Telescope_
Like SCTs and MCTs?
Check-out sct-user, the mailing list for CAT fanciers!
Goto http://members.aol.com/RMOLLISE/index.html

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 21:56:26 -0400, Anthony PDC
wrote:


Like Pierre, I find that it comes in two volumes - Vol One: Spring and
Summer, Vol Two: Autumn and Winter. It seems to be out of print, and
scarce. I've just ordered Vol Two (used) on Amazon for US $55. Some
sources are asking as much as $160 for both volumes (eeek!).

Ooops: I had the seasons reversed for the Night Sky Observer's Guide:
Vol 1 is Autumn and Winter, Vol 2 is Spring and Summer.

And as someone has kindly pointed out in this thread, they are
available direct ffrom the Publisher at $34.95 per volume:

http://www.willbell.com/handbook/nitesky.htm

Regards,

Anthony

"Anthony PDC" wrote in message
...

Finally, I really do hope that someone, preferably an author committed
to preserving Burnham's sensibilities, undertook the doubtless mammoth
task of bringing his Celestial Handbook up-to-date. What a wonderful
project that would be - and what a tribute to Robert Burnham's memory!

I think that's more work than one ordinary author could do. But I would
very much like to see an edition with the coordinates precessed to epoch
2000.0 and perhaps some minor updates and comments added by another author.