Your oldest Astronomy book.

[Grump Martian]

Just flicking through some books in my astronomy collection. I have several from the1970's, 1950's & the 1800's. The oldest is Sun,Moon and Stars by Agnes Giberne,from 1884. It's fun reading through these and looking at the colour plates.

I think that there must be older astronomy books.

I am still looking to see if there is a picture of the man in a chair being taken into space by several swans. I have seen it in books so often in the past. But can't seem to find it at the moment. It was an ancient vision of how we could travel to the moon.

I have posted a picture of the book and some of it's wonderful picture plates.

Edited April 4 by Grump Martian
Pictures added.

[lunator]

My oldest book is "Half Hours with the stars" by RA Proctor. 3rd edition 1871. 

Cheers

Ian

[dweller25]

Not in the same league as above but my oldest astro book is “Astronomy with Binoculars”, James Muirden, 1976.

Edited April 5 by dweller25

[Grump Martian]

I like the author. James Muirden wrote a book on telescope making from the same era. I have been looking for a copy for years.

Edited April 5 by Grump Martian

[Saganite]

Not particularly early publications,  The Mysterious Universe being 1931 , but I have had these three since the early 1960's when my interest in Astronomy began.

[jjohnson3803]

"Recreations in Astronomy",  Henry White Warren, DD., 1879.

 

[Nakedgun]

~

My adult pursuit of this hobby began just a quarter-century ago, so I haven't been collecting astro-books very long. 

The artwork of Chesley Bonestell prompted me to get a copy of "The Conquest Of Space" written by Willy Ley.

My copy published by Readers Union with Sidgwick And Jackson, London, 1952.

 

Edit: I just found on my bookshelf a 1935 2nd edition of "A Guide To The Constellations" by Barton and Barton, autographed by Samuel G. Barton 14 NOV 35, to Sarah Lippincott of Germantown, Pennsylvania, who purchased it a month earlier for $25.

 

 

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Edited April 5 by Nakedgun

[Nyctimene]

Jean-Henri Fabre's book on astronomy from 1872, in the German translation by astronomer Graff 1918. Fabre was a famous entomologist, one of the beginners of behavioural research. He earned his living as a teacher in southern France and had to care for seven children, so he wrote several didactic handbooks, to improve his financial situation, including the astronomy book. The "Homer of Insects" was proposed 1912 for the Nobel Price in literature. A very interesting personality; modest and introverted, nonetheless friend of some famous persons, e.g. John Stewart Mill. His house, now a museum, close to Orange in the Provence, is well worth seeing.

Stephan

[Grump Martian]

The cover makes the book appear ancient Stephan. It does look good.

Edited April 5 by Grump Martian

[mikeDnight]

I think this book is my oldest. It's a beautifully bound leather hardback. They don't make them like this anymore!

[icpn]

I think my oldest is a first edition of Webb's Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes from 1859

[shinebug777]

14 hours ago, mikeDnight said:

I think this book is my oldest. It's a beautifully bound leather hardback. They don't make them like this anymore!

jealous! thats a beautiful book