Robert Burnham Jr - Died in 1993

[Merlin66 (Ken)]

I was reading my Burnham's Celestial Handbook again at the weekend; its been part of my life since the late 1970's and everytime you open it, you find something new!!
It dawned on me that I had never seen any updates or revisions etc. Who and probably more importantly where was Robert Burnham Jr? I really would like to congratulate him on his epic work......
You can have no idea how I felt to find he had died, pennyless in 1993!!! I felt broken and sad inside.
The attached article from the Pheonix Times makes interesting and depressing reading...
God bless you Robert, where ever you are.

[davidpretorius]

that is very sad

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Wow, that's spooky - I hadn't noticed this thread before now, but the other day I won a 1978 set off eBay.

[ngcles]

Hi Merlin & All,

Yes, it is a very sad story indeed.

I can't quite remember off-hand but one of the U.S astronomy magazines did an excellent and moving write-up in a feature article too. I think it was in the mid to late 90s. It might have been S&T but I'm more inclined to think it was "Astronomy". Whoever wrote it and put it together did a very, very good job.

The major cause of Burnham's decline apparently was the loss of his job at (again, not certain but I think it was Lowell) observatory where the observing programme he was in was cut.

Burnham was the great astronomical writer of the 20th century.

Best,

Les D
Contributing Editor
AS&T

[allan gould]

I have a copy of his books and I think that is the right mix of every thing that amateurs what. Serious science whith good explanations. Its a pity that the epoch for the objects has not been updated but then someone would try to fiddle with the text which would be a pity, unless added as an addendum to update to current knowledge.
In my oppinion a great set of relevant information that makes you want to observe.

[astroron (Ron)]

Originally Posted by allan gould

I have a copy of his books and I think that is the right mix of every thing that amateurs what. Serious science whith good explanations. Its a pity that the epoch for the objects has not been updated but then someone would try to fiddle with the text which would be a pity, unless added as an addendum to update to current knowledge.
In my oppinion a great set of relevant information that makes you want to observe.

Brian Skiff of the Lowell Observatory and an Amateur astronomer as well as a professional, thought about updating it, but thought that as only the science needed updating would only detract from the great work that Burnham did, and as there is so many other publications that you can get the updates left it as it is

[GrahamL]

Sounds so like somone with an underlying mental illness whos focus and
insulated life at lowel allowed him to excel at a level .. years later
proffesional and amataurs are still completely in awe of ..away from that world the real one ..slowly .. and completely ..overwhelmed him ?
I think now of how many old guys in a park you see have such a story
to tell .. and how many of us just walk on by

[rwong]

Burnham's Celestial Handbook was recommended to me when I first started astronomy in 2004. It was quoted as the "bible". I got the three volume from Amazon (one new and two second-hand) as I could not get them in Australia.

I always wondered why there were no updates. Now I know.... very sad. Although I mainly use Starry Night to check info, I am amazed by the efforts that the late Mr Burnham put into the book.

My tribute to Mr Burnham, the legend in astronomy.

Clear skies
WWP