Oldest Astronomy Books

[TrevorW]

Had this one for nearly 50 years - Astronomy by Russell,_Dugan, Stewart copyright June 1945 purchased from Alberts Bookshop Forrest Place Perth


Amateur Telescope Making -Scientific America Book Three sixth Printing 1969(anyone have book 1 and or 2 interested if they want to sell and price is right)


:thumbsup:

[Merlin66]

My oldest Astronomy books are much older than me!
I have a copy of Herschel's Outlines of Astronomy, dated 1851 and many others from around 1870-1900.

[Huey]

A medicine book with some astronomical symbols printed 1677. If that doesn't count Bart Boks Astromer's Universe 1958.

Huey

[Startrek]

I have a few of manuscripts (copies) from James Dunlop who first was the second astronomer to document celestial objects in our southern skies ( before Herschel ) in 1828
He was a Scottish astronomer arrived in Australia and set up an observatory at Parramatta in western Sydney under the request of Governor Thomas Brisbane
Probably the most notable discovery was NGC 5128 Centaurus A
He went on to observe and document thousands of star , clusters , nebula and galaxies over many years
Many years after his death (he died in his farm at Brisbane waters north of Sydney) Herschel disregarded a vast number of Dunlop’s documented objects saying that they did not exist.
James Dunlop, astronomer, telescope maker and a true pioneer of our Southern Skies

[Peter Ward]

My oldest Astronomy book is “A study of the Sky” 1897 Herbet Howe, Macmillan & Co. London.

It is a delight to read and gives insight into the technology and sociology of the age: like this gem that waxes lyrical on how to best keep a watch and have it deliver accurate timekeeping.

“Ladies are especially culpable in the handling of their watches…they let them lie around in bureau drawers or handkerchief boxes….ladies’ watches rarely keep good time”

P.S. My Citizen Satellite Wave watch also fails to keep accurate time if kept in the bureau a for tad too long… :D

[anthony2302749]

Mars 1896

[Merlin66]

Anthony,
Whooooo
Now that IS a collectable!!!


( I have to make do with the "special limited edition reprint", 1978. Limited to 1000 copies)

[Peter Ward]

Oh wow! What a gem.

[anthony2302749]

It not a pristine copy, the original owner had autograph the title page. Put it was a great fine while in English back in 2016