[AZ-Observing] Re: Burnham Celebration at Lowell this Saturday 2pm !!!!!
- From: "Wayne (aka Mr. Galaxy)" <mrgalaxy@xxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 14 Aug 2009 23:52:17 GMT
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 article 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_observatory.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
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