My work desk as following with a set of the handbooks, which I still us, but not as much as 20 or so years ago. I actually have two sets of the hardbacks.

The soft-backs are not very durable, especially if used outside, or even with lots of use indoors. Now just my opinion, but every amateur should have a set of Burnham’s in their home library and take them out frequently, and read some of the information. How any mortal being could put together such an amazing amount of work, with so much technical information and self-publish is nothing less than amazing!

Seems that Brian Skiff (astronomer at Lowell) at one time was contemplating a revised version of the handbooks. But, after a careful comprehensive review, “maybe before even getting started” he decided against. (I think I’m correct on this, or at least close.) I can’t remember all of the particulars, but I do remember (why Skiff might have chose not to….and seems the word he used was: Daunting!

For those of us that have been visual observers for at least the past 30 plus years “Burnham’s Celestial Handbooks” were and continue to be invaluable. 

Rather than attempting to write anything about Robert Burnham Jr. there is no need; as so much information can be found in the following links, or other places online.

View from Mars Hill: Robert Burnham and his Celestial Handbook

https://frostydrew.org/publications.dc/show/entry-1112

It was Daniel Mounsey aka “DoctorD” (advanced longtime amateur astronomer, writer, and telescope extraordinaire) that inspired this post: 

I don’t think anyone has used the Handbooks more for both indoor and backyard use than Daniel. It was about eight or ten years ago when he sent me a photo of his “soft-cover” set.  They were so well-used that he fabricated steel rings to hold the pages and entire books together!

So, here are the photos that I saw, so many years ago. This is the way all astronomy reference books should look! Roger

The following quotes were taken from Daniel’s Cloudy Nights and personal emails.

“The observer who sits in quiet contemplation of what they can see at the eyepiece will be in direct contact with cosmic things…” Robert Burnham Jr.

“The astrophotographer who sits at a computer screen will be in direct contact with figuring out how to make things work….” DoctorD

Now some of my thoughts…using the handbooks: Roger

I have used the handbooks on many nights outside for reference, with my telescope. One night about 30 years ago, I remember so well using the photos from the handbooks to identify faint galaxies, NGC 147 and NGC 185. This was just one of the many times the handbooks assisted me in my observations.

Many consider the handbooks to be outdated…but not me.

Roger Ivester