Show us your astronomy library

[DirkSteele]

Been a few threads of showing equipment on SGL, but what do we do when there is a cloudy night (yep it was deliberate! 😉)? We read about astronomy. Not quite Patrick Moore’s but here is mine. Over 100 on the shelf, though this would have looked more impressive about 2 years ago with almost two decades worth of Sky & Telescope which I sent to recycling when we moved out to renovate the house, the logic being I had all the issues on the DVDs. Not quite so easy to thumb through on a whim though. Have kept the Astronomy Now magazines where I had a review published but sadly my very first magazine published equipment review seems to have vanished in the move back to our house which was in Ciel & Espace (they translated into French for me).

Couple of my favourites below. 

The Guide to Amateur Astronomy. I received this book back in 1995 when I started taking my stargazing a bit more seriously in my mid-teens having moved on from my Dad’s bins to a telescope.

Star Testing Astronomical Telescopes is a book every amateur should own. Not quite happy with the image your are seeing? This will help diagnose the problem.

The Photographic Atlas of the Stars. Remarkable the effort that went into this considering it’s 1997 publication and what equipment was used to capture the images. By modern standards they are below par. But that is not why it is a favourite. I bought this when I attended a lecture by Thomas Bopp in June 1997 hot off the back of his rather well known comet discovery hosted by Patrick Moore. Was the first time I met Patrick and after 5 mins of chatting he gave his phone number suggesting I visit. Had them both autograph it.

Halley’s Comet is the oldest book of mine still in the collection. Sadly, the books that really got me hooked on Astronomy as a child in the 80s have vanished (possibly in my parents loft).

So how does your Astro library look and what are some of your favourites?

[Knighty2112]

My astro collection is not located in just one bookcase, but spread over 7 of them around the house, downstairs and upstairs. I have books starting from the early 80’s up until now. Although I do own an old star atlas I got off ebay just over a year ago that was published in the 60’s, and based on an earlier atlas published earlier last century. Got 2 books signed by Patrick Moore, and one signed by Davis A . Hardy from a competition from an astronomy magazine I won from the mid 80’s. Try and get photos of them later on.  

Edited June 18, 2023 by Knighty2112

[laudropb]

Some of my collection

[Knighty2112]

Not all the books I have are shown here as there are approx another 20 to 30 spread over all the other book cases, but the biggest majority shown here mostly. The old copy Norton’s was the first star atlas I owned, followed not long after by the massive New Concise Atlas of the Universe back in the early 80’s. Last image shows the 2 books autographed by Patrick Moore and one by David A.Hardy which if I remember rightly was possibly the first book he published, but could be wrong on that!  

 

Edited June 18, 2023 by Knighty2112

[Paz]

That's some really good bookshelves! Here's mine, but my favourite book won't fit in the shelf, that being Antonin Becvar's Atlas of the Heavens.

Of the books on the shelves Burhnam's Celestial Handbooks are my favourite, I also found a copy of the 16th edition of the Norton Star Atlas to go with them.

Edited June 18, 2023 by Paz

[Knighty2112]

48 minutes ago, Paz said:

That's some really good bookshelves! Here's mine, but my favourite book won't fit in the shelf, that being Antonin Becvar's Atlas of the Heavens.

Of the books on the shelves Burhnam's Celestial Handbooks are my favourite, I also found a copy of the 16th edition of the Norton Star Atlas to go with them.

Yes, Becvar’s AOTH is a beautiful book. Found my copy on ebay over a year ago in very good condition still, but minus the key part which was missing as it is a separate leaf. Managed to find an image of one online and printed a copy of it.  

[Franklin]

Have you noticed how everyone has pine bookshelves, mine is pine lookalike but does the job😁.

Must have sold 50+ books when I moved home last year but here's what I have left. Mostly observing guides, Gerald North is my favorite.

 

[JeremyS]

45 minutes ago, Franklin said:

Have you noticed how everyone has pine bookshelves

Because they blend in with all the Berlebach products (though these are not pine of course) ? 🤔

[Franklin]

You might be on to something there @JeremyS a pine tripod, maybe Ikea will start doing astro supplies😁.

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, Franklin said:

You might be on to something there @JeremyS a pine tripod, maybe Ikea will start doing astro supplies😁.

[maw lod qan]

I only have a few books. Just started collecting them recently.

But my favorite is this one. It's very limited edition, possibly only two or three copies.

My daughter surprised me with a little album she had made.

[glafnazur]

That's brilliant, really special  

[DirkSteele]

44 minutes ago, maw lod qan said:

I only have a few books. Just started collecting them recently.

But my favorite is this one. It's very limited edition, possibly only two or three copies.

My daughter surprised me with a little album she had made.

Fantastic.

[JeremyS]

https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu
 

😊

[DirkSteele]

Found an extra book though very much coffee table size rather than for the shelf. Quite an attractive one. 

 

I also found the missing magazine with my first published review. Pleased I had not lost that in the move.

[DrMike]

Over 50 years worth of life, and finishing with 2 of my priceless possession…

 

 

 

 

and finally, a 1st edition, that I found in a dispose bin in my local library, and when I met the great man, he was kind enough to sign it. A wonderful moment.

 

 

Edited June 26, 2023 by DrMike
Wrong image

[Zermelo]

6 minutes ago, DrMike said:

Over 50 years worth of life, and finishing with 2 of my priceless possession…

That is an amazing collection.

[DrMike]

Thanks, but whenever I move house/flat they’re a [removed word] to pack, but I’m loathe to get rid of them. Some have been with me nearly most of my life, and they’re very good friends, so to speak. 

[DirkSteele]

4 hours ago, DrMike said:

Over 50 years worth of life, and finishing with 2 of my priceless possession…

 

 

 

 

and finally, a 1st edition, that I found in a dispose bin in my local library, and when I met the great man, he was kind enough to sign it. A wonderful moment.

 

 

Absolutely amazing!

[glafnazur]

5 hours ago, DrMike said:

Thanks, but whenever I move house/flat they’re a [removed word] to pack, but I’m loathe to get rid of them. Some have been with me nearly most of my life, and they’re very good friends, so to speak. 

Great collection. I know what you mean by them being 'good friends '. I remember giving a book to a friend back in my teens and I regretted it straight away, since then I've never given away, swapped or sold another one, much to my wife's bemusement and consternation. 

My books hold so many great memories, it's not just about the content. My books tell a tale of when I bought them, who I knew at the time, and how my life was at that moment. I love books, you can keep you kindles, etc, give me a proper book 

[Hawksmoor]

Like books so have many collected over 35 years. Not good at throwing stuff away so many of the technical books are now of interest mainly historically. Very untidy so Astro books mixed in with art and geology. Mrs H has novels and poetry books in numbers. At anyone time I keep the last two years of Astronomy Now and the Sky at Night magazines in shelves by our bed and there are even books on shelves in my shed.

Edited July 3, 2023 by Hawksmoor

[stuarts]

 

Here is my astronomy library with a range of books collected over many years. My first was the Observers book of Astronomy. The large format atlases are elsewhere along with most of the year books. Because of the weather I seem to spend more time reading than observing !!

[DrMike]

Stuarts, great collection. I notice you have 3 of my books too. Thank you, I need the royalties 🤣🤣🤣

[stuarts]

Glad to help. 😊 

[bwj]

My astronomy library is nowhere near as nice or complete as those already shared. I am drooling over them and making a list for future purchases.

Here are a couple of pictures of my admittedly small collection. Not shown are a Nortons I have had since early 1990's, and a new Turn Left At Orion.

The Alan Bean print and book I was able to get at a gallery event on the Oregon coast where he gave a presentation and then signed prints and books.

Clear Skies!

Edited July 14, 2023 by bwj