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Burnham's Celestial Handbook #1
Burnham's Celestial Handbook: An Observer's Guide to the Universe Beyond the Solar System, Volume 1: Andromeda Through Cetus
The three volume "Burnham's Celestial Handbook" series provides a constellation based, detailed and comprehensive guide to tens of thousands of celestial objects outside our solar system. The information presented includes: definitions, names, historical background, coordinates, classifications, physical descriptions, maps, charts, sketches, and observing guides. All told in an engaging manner.
The series became an instant success with amateur astronomers, and remained so for decades. While it is now dated, it is still a popular source of information.
Volume One lists the constellations from Andromeda to Cetus.
The series became an instant success with amateur astronomers, and remained so for decades. While it is now dated, it is still a popular source of information.
Volume One lists the constellations from Andromeda to Cetus.
656 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
23 people are currently reading
403 people want to read
About the author
Robert Burnham Jr.
12 books4 followersRobert 'Bob' Burnham, Jr, was a United States astronomer. He is best known in astronomical circles for his classic work "Burnham's Celestial Handbook".
Burnham developed an interest in astronomy at a young age, and in 1957 discovered a comet. This led to an appointment at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. A position he retained until 1979 when funding was no longer available.
While at the observatory, in addition to his duties, he discovered five additional comets, and, using the extensive Lowell library, composed this handbook. This was a work clearly superior to any else available, and proved immediately popular with the amateur astronomy community. The work was in three volumes, and it discussed in great detail the objects visible to amateur telescopes in each constellation.
After Burnham left Lowell his life took a turn to the worse. He had some difficulty coping, and spent his last years selling sketches of cats in Balboa Park, San Diego, California. He died unknown and alone, however, he is well remembered in the astronomical community.
An element of confusion existed between this Burnham, and a science writer and astronomer also named Robert Burnham. As this latter Burnham had a successful career, the confusion in identity caused many who knew of Burnham Jr to assume that he was alive and well.
Burnham developed an interest in astronomy at a young age, and in 1957 discovered a comet. This led to an appointment at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. A position he retained until 1979 when funding was no longer available.
While at the observatory, in addition to his duties, he discovered five additional comets, and, using the extensive Lowell library, composed this handbook. This was a work clearly superior to any else available, and proved immediately popular with the amateur astronomy community. The work was in three volumes, and it discussed in great detail the objects visible to amateur telescopes in each constellation.
After Burnham left Lowell his life took a turn to the worse. He had some difficulty coping, and spent his last years selling sketches of cats in Balboa Park, San Diego, California. He died unknown and alone, however, he is well remembered in the astronomical community.
An element of confusion existed between this Burnham, and a science writer and astronomer also named Robert Burnham. As this latter Burnham had a successful career, the confusion in identity caused many who knew of Burnham Jr to assume that he was alive and well.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 22, 2013
Volume 1 of Burnham's Celestial Handbook, like its two companion volumes, is an invaluable addition to the library of any astronomer, astrophysicist, astrologer, Magickian, or alchemist because of the wealth of information it gives on astronomical objects, from those naked-eye visible to deep-sky objects requiring powerful telescopes to observe, found within each constellation, or zone of the sky.
The volumes are arranged in alphabetical order of the names of constellations. Volume 1 includes the constellations Andromeda through Cetus; Volume 2, Chameleon through Orion; Volume 3, Pavo through Vulpecula. For each constellation Burnham gives a comprehensive list of the objects to be found there, along with their traditional names, astronomical catalog names and numbers, distance from us in light-years, magnitudes, right ascension, and other valuable data, including normal stars, variable stars, novae, stellar clusters, nebulae, and galaxies; descriptive notes on the physical characteristics of each star or other significant object in the constellation; b&w photographs of galaxies, nebulae, and other objects, many of them gorgeous studies; and, where applicable, the mythical, literary, and historical correlates of especially interesting objects, e.g., the star Algol in the constellation Perseus (Volume3) and the stars Betelgeuse, Rigel, Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak in Orion (Volume 2). In addition, in Volume 1, Burns gives a detailed introduction on amateur astronomy, his view of astronomy, and the idea behind these handbooks; a chapter on "Introducing the Universe," including a celestial survey and notes on the distance scale of the universe; a chapter on "Fundamental Knowledge for the Observer," on the physical aspects of astronomical objects, constellations, etc.; and a forth chapter on how to best use the handbooks. At the end of Volume 3 he gives a detailed bibliography, divided into sections according to subject; a constellation index; an index of common and popular names and other designations of various objects; and an index of general subjects.
Robert Burnham, Jr. was a shy and reclusive man whose last years were spent in poverty, meeting his needs by selling his paintings of cats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_B....). Yet his Celestial Handbook is one of the best-selling scientific works of all time, the work of a man with a passion for the meticulous cataloging and discussion on all aspects of the subject of his calling, the night sky.
First published in 1966 by Dover Publications, this work has been reprinted many times. Copies become available all the time through estate sales, used-book stores, and sites such as amazon.com. Very much paying whatever it costs to lay hands on these three volumes.
The volumes are arranged in alphabetical order of the names of constellations. Volume 1 includes the constellations Andromeda through Cetus; Volume 2, Chameleon through Orion; Volume 3, Pavo through Vulpecula. For each constellation Burnham gives a comprehensive list of the objects to be found there, along with their traditional names, astronomical catalog names and numbers, distance from us in light-years, magnitudes, right ascension, and other valuable data, including normal stars, variable stars, novae, stellar clusters, nebulae, and galaxies; descriptive notes on the physical characteristics of each star or other significant object in the constellation; b&w photographs of galaxies, nebulae, and other objects, many of them gorgeous studies; and, where applicable, the mythical, literary, and historical correlates of especially interesting objects, e.g., the star Algol in the constellation Perseus (Volume3) and the stars Betelgeuse, Rigel, Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak in Orion (Volume 2). In addition, in Volume 1, Burns gives a detailed introduction on amateur astronomy, his view of astronomy, and the idea behind these handbooks; a chapter on "Introducing the Universe," including a celestial survey and notes on the distance scale of the universe; a chapter on "Fundamental Knowledge for the Observer," on the physical aspects of astronomical objects, constellations, etc.; and a forth chapter on how to best use the handbooks. At the end of Volume 3 he gives a detailed bibliography, divided into sections according to subject; a constellation index; an index of common and popular names and other designations of various objects; and an index of general subjects.
Robert Burnham, Jr. was a shy and reclusive man whose last years were spent in poverty, meeting his needs by selling his paintings of cats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_B....). Yet his Celestial Handbook is one of the best-selling scientific works of all time, the work of a man with a passion for the meticulous cataloging and discussion on all aspects of the subject of his calling, the night sky.
First published in 1966 by Dover Publications, this work has been reprinted many times. Copies become available all the time through estate sales, used-book stores, and sites such as amazon.com. Very much paying whatever it costs to lay hands on these three volumes.
July 11, 2013
The book which sets the standard with visual observing.
I pick this 3 volume set of tomes up (no other way to describe them as they are large, have lots of obscure detail and will teach you a great deal) from time to time when I have hours to read them. I always come away with more details that I'd overlooked or just plain forgotten.
It goes into the history and the mythology of constellations and observing, and does so from the viewpoint of many cultures that invested heavily in astronomy, not just Western but other ancient cultures as well.
If you need to know the how and why of an HR Diagram is important, this book tells you that in a way that you can stop before you get bogged down with detail beyond your current depth.
I pick this 3 volume set of tomes up (no other way to describe them as they are large, have lots of obscure detail and will teach you a great deal) from time to time when I have hours to read them. I always come away with more details that I'd overlooked or just plain forgotten.
It goes into the history and the mythology of constellations and observing, and does so from the viewpoint of many cultures that invested heavily in astronomy, not just Western but other ancient cultures as well.
If you need to know the how and why of an HR Diagram is important, this book tells you that in a way that you can stop before you get bogged down with detail beyond your current depth.
December 18, 2023
This is a fascinating book (series) to me because it finally takes all those oddments of astronomical lore I have stored away in dusty corners of my mind and _maps_ them out in the actual sky. It further adds many new items to this store, makes me think a great deal more about What and Who I suspect put this vast and infinitely nuanced system together, and gives an interesting window into what a mid-20th century astronomer (who was for all intents and purposes the world's most active amateur, with no formal training in physics) knew, thought, and was told about why all these celestial phenomena worked the way they did.
Now I need a telescope. And a dark backyard. Hmmm.
Now I need a telescope. And a dark backyard. Hmmm.
January 3, 2023
Died destitute and with his own family unaware of these non-commissioned volumes’ importance. However, Burnham’s prose is a life force in the field of amateur astronomy. His ability for relation to philosophical and mythical explanations/backgrounds to give perspective and realize meaning for various cultures is immensely beautiful.
October 30, 2019
I bought this set early in my love of Astronomy. What an incredible wealth of material. The long into in book 1 is great to get acclimated. Then it goes A-Z though all the constellations and EVERYTHING you can see in them. Excellent little extra stories. You can hear the authors passion for this subject throughout all three volumes.
I'm updating my "6* favorites" list, and really need to put my 6th star on this 3-volume set.
Here is a copy/paste from another reviewer: Yael:
"First published in 1966 by Dover Publications, this work has been reprinted many times. Copies become available all the time through estate sales, used-book stores, and sites such as amazon.com. Very much paying whatever it costs to lay hands on these three volumes."
I concur!
I'm updating my "6* favorites" list, and really need to put my 6th star on this 3-volume set.
Here is a copy/paste from another reviewer: Yael:
"First published in 1966 by Dover Publications, this work has been reprinted many times. Copies become available all the time through estate sales, used-book stores, and sites such as amazon.com. Very much paying whatever it costs to lay hands on these three volumes."
I concur!
February 8, 2020
For its day, an astonishing work of both passion and accuracy.
As an amateur astronomer viewing the sky in the 21st century, I found this useful, for these older black and white images were much more what I saw in a telescope. With your eye, you don't see the colors of Hubble images. You see light (or dark), so the sky is a very black-and-white image. These images more than once helped me see better, and confirmed some of my sketches the next morning. I hauled around ten astronomy books on my travels, and this series of three were ones I held onto. They are not in print, but you probably will luck upon them one day at a thrift store or used book store.
As an amateur astronomer viewing the sky in the 21st century, I found this useful, for these older black and white images were much more what I saw in a telescope. With your eye, you don't see the colors of Hubble images. You see light (or dark), so the sky is a very black-and-white image. These images more than once helped me see better, and confirmed some of my sketches the next morning. I hauled around ten astronomy books on my travels, and this series of three were ones I held onto. They are not in print, but you probably will luck upon them one day at a thrift store or used book store.
April 7, 2012
This 3 volume set is a must for amatuer and professional astronomers. It provides detailed information on stars(single, variable & binary), galaxies and nebulea by constellation including coordinates, magnitudes and finding charts. This series is a bit dated but the information is still current.
June 19, 2012
Dated, but still useful.
July 2, 2016
Seriously dated but still a lot of great information. Dover reprints are a national treasure.
November 7, 2021
Burnham's celestial handbook is the perfect astronomy textbook for a beginner. The language is engaging and doesn't dull the wonder of astronomy at all, I found it actually enhanced it a lot. I could feel Burnham's love for the stars In every analogy used. That's why I feel that this book I really good for younger beginners like myself. Burnham will bring in greek mythology, Confucianist philosophy, finish astronomy, and native American lore which conveys the beauty of the universe perfectly. I was pleasantly surprised that the first thing you see when you open this guidebook is a poem about the stars. Overall this book is the perfect balance of educational and enjoyable, I can't recommend it enough!
December 22, 2024
Still my go-to reference book for historical information about deep sky objects. Mr. Burnham spent significant time in his historical research into star and constellation names, and research into the finer deep sky objects. A welcome addition to my astronomy reference book collection.
September 24, 2020
Very detailed and informative. Helpful for projects!
January 13, 2022
the book said it, the first few chapters are definitely for beginners and the rest is for astronomers. well written!
November 8, 2023
I hate to part with it - but, I'm donating it to the Hyannis Public Library. The most thorough description of celestial objects visible in most telescope size ranges. Written by an amateur astronomer (turned, pro).
November 12, 2008
RU Camelopardalis: A former cepheid has apparently now ceased (as of 1978) to pulsate, a case which appears to be unique in the annals of astrophysics.
April 12, 2010
A very good, thorough encyclopedia of every celestial object in space.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews