Winter reading. Local history.

[Mark Wagner]

Over the recent holidays, I was given a favorite book by a very thoughtful friend, who I had told about how excellent and enjoyable a read it was. Its about a subject I love and it's remarkable local history.

Before receiving the gift I had been talking with another astronomy friend who is writing an article for Sky and Telescope about E.E. Barnard and dark nebulae.  Barnard worked at Lick and the book covers his comet observations, discovery of the 5th moon of Jupiter, his dispute with Holden, eclipse expeditions, friendship with Burnham, Milky Way photography, and time a Lick and Yerkes.

The book covers the first hundred years, and is rich in history of the directors and staffs as well as the inception of the observatory conceptually.  Even James Lick journey to California and notable friends and organizations of those days, some of which continue to this day.  In fact, James Lick has strong ties to such places as the U.C. Keck Observatory.

I think my favorite persons contained are the Sierra foothills amateur astronomer who first  convinced Lick while visiting SJ on the idea of an observatory, the other is the much loved director James Keeler.

I can offer four words of encouragement to read it: It's a terrific book.

I can't wait.  Thank you (you know who you are) for the thoughtful gift.  I hope others will enjoy it too.

Mark

[Steve Gottlieb]

Another book I’d recommend is William Sheehan’s biography, “The Immortal Fire Within: The Life and Work of Edward Emerson Barnard”.  

I was fortunate to read through all of Barnard’s handwritten notebooks that are stored at Lick, which includes his sketches of Saturn, Jupiter and comets, as well as numerous deep sky discoveries that he never received credit for.  Amazing stuff.

-- Steve

On Feb 4, 2026, at 2:45 PM, Mark Wagner <itsmar...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Ted Hauter]

Had The Fire Within and now both thank you all.

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