Hartung's

[UniPol]

Shown is my current book collection of Hartung's "Astronomical Objects for Southern Telescopes". The first pic shows the first 1968 editions, the one on the left I recall buying from a second hand bookshop in George St, Sydney in 1969 and was published by Melbourne University Press. The one next to it was purchased sometime later mainly because it was published by Cambridge University Press in 1968 and is identical to the Australian version except that it was printed in England.

The second pic shows the 1984 and 1987 softcover versions both published by MUP. Both versions have only a small number of black and white plates unlike the first edition. The third pic shows the 1995 hardback 2nd edition which is really the best edition and features a fair number of colour plates plus the original black and whites. The one next to it is the re-issued 1995 2nd edition which is a softcover and is slightly smaller than the hardback version. There are no colour plates for whatever reason. What is interesting or at least odd about this latest edition is that it does not show the publication date i.e. 2016/2017. This means that if you are selling or buying this edition one would think it was printed in 1995, an oversight by the publishers I suppose.

I hope this topic is of interest particularly if you are looking for copies of Hartung's excellent reference books.

[Tinderboxsky]

Interesting background. Thanks for posting.
I have the 1995 hardback 2nd edition. A much valued and read book.

[Merlin66]

My 1968 hardback is CUP and signed by Hartung.
The 1984 soft cover I have is also CUP and contains exactly the same illustrations as the 1968 version. The cover is similar to #2 in your second picture.

[astroron]

The last edition was published bu MUB to satisfy a request for a re issue.
I had not seen any of the latest version,but there was a big thread on here (IIS) a couple or more years ago.
See if you can track the thread down?
Cheers:thumbsup:

[leon]

Wow I do have a large collections of anything astronomical, 140 books in all, however that would be a fine addition to my collection.

Leon

[Merlin66]

Leon,
At one stage I had over a 1000 books in my library....
Now reduced to a few hundred.

[Wavytone]

There are a few signed 2nd editions if you hunt for them; I had one and sold it ages ago (virtually unused).

[taminga16]

I purchased my second edition at a library book sale for $5.00. Hartung's observatory was burned down in the 1983 'Ash Wednesday' fires, the telescope is at the Monash University in Clayton Victoria.

[StephenV]

There is a downloadable version available from itunes.

[beren]

Sometimes you find little treasures on Gumtree, Hartung 95 second edition :)
only fault is someone wrote their name on the inside ......,..,:D

[el_draco]

I picked up a copy of the 1968 version from a library chuck out box :screwy:

[Bobbyoutback]

What do you think it would cost to buy a reasonable condition 1995 second edition hardback these days :question:

Having Fun
Bobby .

[Allan]

Providing it’s in good condition, I think you would be looking at $200+. Worth every cent though.

[Bobbyoutback]

Thanks Allan ,
Appreciate your valuation :)

Bobby .

[StuTodd]

Was worth many hundreds before the 1995 edition got reprinted recently. Of course, this renders the 1995 edition as worthless now.

[VPAstro]

Not always the case. A copy or reproduction is never worth as much as the original to the collector. I have seen copies of a 1930 penny for sale on ebay. Does that make the 1930 penny worthless now?

I have two of the 1995 second editions. One, my wife bought me back in 1995 and is priceless, and the other I picked up last year which is my reading copy.


In the case of this book, the second edition was worth far more that the first edition.:)

[Merlin66]

I have two copies of the original first edition - one signed by Hartung - priceless.

[John W]

Interesting item. I have the 1968 version with Cambridge University Press on the cover. It originally cost 6.75 AU dollars (I presume). I rescued it from being thrown out by a school library some years ago. A treasure I shall keep.

Cheers, John W.