15480 Empire Rd. Benson, AZ 85602 hm ph: 520-586-2244 Thanks Rick and Bob for correcting my misstatements; I hope I didn't offend any EVAC members! Bob Gent made the presentation of the first Western Region of the AL's Robert Burnham, Jr Award to Burnham's sister, Viola Courtney (and her daughter) at the 1998 RTMC, when he was Chairman of WRAL. Clear skies, Wayne (aka Mr. Galaxy) ---------- Original Message ---------- From: "Rick Tejera" <saguaroastro@xxxxxxx> To: <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Burnham Celebration at Lowell this Saturday 2pm!!!!! Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:47:34 -0700 Wayne, Although SAC did make a contribution to the Burnham memorial fund, the effort was EVAC's. Jennifer & Tom played a major role in bringing this to fruition. Any Kudo's should go them. I'll be there for sure. With luck maybe some observing at Cherry Rd after the festivities? Rick Tejera Editor SACnews Saguaro Astronomy Club Phoenix, Arizona saguaroastro@xxxxxxx www.saguaroastro.org K7TEJ -----Original Message----- From: az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:az-observing-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Wayne (aka Mr. Galaxy) Sent: Friday, August 14, 2009 16:52 To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Burnham Celebration at Lowell this Saturday 2pm!!!!! 15480 Empire Rd. Benson, AZ 85602 hm ph: 520-586-2244 Hi Jennifer, Boy, I really wish I could make this special dedication to the memory of Robert Burnham, Jr.! Like many people, I wondered whatever happened to the author of the Celestial Handbook and like any story, there is a "rest of the story". Around 1996, I and my then roommate, Todd Hansen, of the Riverside Astronomical Society (RAS), had started a half-hearted search for the author just to see what he was doing, maybe teaching or working at another observatory, etc. We knew that this Burnham was not the same person as the Burnham who was the editor of Astronomy Magazine. Rumors had it (from Brian Skiff - I had asked him by direct email or on Sci.Astro.Amateur) that Burnham had run off to California and was riding his bike up and down the California coast or was selling cat paintings in San Diego. I had gone to NAU at the same time as Brian and took an astronomy class with him. I probably met Burnham in my several visits to Lowell, but unfortunately my memory of him is dim. He was reputedly shy around strangers and I never got to know him, much to my regret. Later, after I had moved to California, Brian lived in the same cabin at Lowell Observatory as Burnham occupied for a time and my wife and I had a chance to stay there while visiting Brian around 1998. As it turned out, the second rumor about Burnham selling cat paintings was true. He was selling his paintings in Balboa Park near the Rueben H. Fleet Space Museum/Planetarium and would occasionally go to meetings there in the presence of director Dennis Mammana, who says he has recollections of Burnham and his activities, but never knew Burnham's personal, pathetic circumstances. That was about as far as I got with my investigation, when I happened to talk to Tony Ortega, who at the time lived in the Los Angeles area and was a member of the Orange County Astronomers (OCA) of which I was president at the time, about looking around for Robert Burnham. I did not realize he was a reporter for the Newtimes newspaper and have no idea whether he was already on the scent for his wonderful article, but I like to think that I may have helped plant the seed for it because it was about a year later that I caught wind of the article. The most unfortunate news that we learned from the art icle was that Robert Burnham, author of one of the most wonderful tomes on amateur astronomy, was already dead for about two years under the worst of conditions at the time Todd and I started our search. One other thing we learned from the article was that Burnham was cremated and buried in a pauper's columbarium north of San Diego. Shortly after the article appeared Tony organized a remembrance of Burnham's life at his gravesite in Point Loma. About six people showed up, among them co-worker Norm Thomas, who tried to get Burnham's life back to normalcy, and very interestingly, two or three of the children, now young men, one of them being Norm's son, Bruce, shown in a photo playing on the beach, on the dedication page of volume one of the Celestial Handbook. We never saw those people again, but Tony gave a wonderful talk about the life of Burnham and the research that went into writing his article at the 1998 RTMC in Big Bear, California, where he invited Burnham's sister and niece. It was one of the most poignant moments ever at the Conference. And that's, the rest of the story... I hope Tony is able to make it out for the celebration in Flagstaff and am really upset that I can't. I congratulate the SAC members who were finally able to get the memorial to Robert Burnham, Jr realized after several false starts. Clear skies, Wayne (aka Mr. Galaxy) ---------- Original Message ---------- From: "Jennifer Polakis" <m24@xxxxxxx> To: <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Burnham Celebration at Lowell this Saturday 2pm!!!!! Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2009 01:06:01 -0700 Hi Frank--It should last about an hour, then we'll walk over and view the memorial. Jennifer ----- Original Message ----- From: "Frank OGorman" <fogastro@xxxxxxxxx> To: <az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 2:01 PM Subject: [AZ-Observing] Re: Burnham Celebration at Lowell this Saturday 2pm!!!!! I'd like to thanks those of you who posted the links to the stories about Robert Burnham. I had no idea that there was such an interesting and tragic story behind the name - I thought he was just another famous astronomer (hey, SAC is full of those!) for whom it was time to dedicate a plaque. It's a lot more meaningful now. I wasn't planning on going to the dedication this weekend, but I probably will now, if I can make it. I see that it starts at 2:00 - any idea how long it is expected to last? Thanks, Frank ________________________________ Sent: Sunday, August 9, 2009 7:29:12 PM Subject: [AZ-Observing] Burnham Celebration at Lowell this Saturday 2pm!!!!! Re: It's up at Phoenix New TimesIt's posted in New Times! http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2009/08/flagstaffs_lowell_obser vatory.php Please call/write me directly if you have any questions or need help with directions to Lowell. I've made reservations for dinner for 30 people at Little America's restaurant there. Please bring $cash if you plan to eat with us afterward to save the waitstaff from the separate checks mess. Thanks, Jennifer Polakis Burnham Memorial Project M24@xxxxxxx 480 967-1658 -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please send personal replies to the author, not the list. -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please send personal replies to the author, not the list. -- See message header for info on list archives or unsubscribing, and please send personal replies to the author, not the list. ____________________________________________________________ Click to compare refinance loan offers from national lenders. 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