Starlight Nights: The Adventures of a Star-Gazer
| Date: 22 April 2011, 13:48
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Long out of print, the much-loved autobiography of celebrated comet-hunter Leslie Peltier is being reissued on the 100th anniversary of his birth. In a career spanning six decades and using telescopes from 2 to 12 inches in diameter, Peltier discovered a dozen comets and six novae and made more than 100,000 observations of variable stars. In Starlight Nights he recalls these achievements and reflects on the meaning of observational astronomy as well as all of nature. This new edition features an introduction by Sky & Telescope magazine contributing editor David H. Levy plus 16 black-and-white photographs from the Peltier family archives.
Summary: A giant of an amateur astronomer, humble and lover of simple life
Rating: 5
A classic wonderful book by Leslie C Peltier and forward by David H Levy. 240 pages and a few nice family pictures. An easy read and can be read in 1 day but DONT. Here is a book to savor and take your time with. There are many astronomy books on how to find stars and explaining them but here is a book on the love a man has and the why he is interested in Astronomy.
Peltier was a giant among amateur astronomers with 12 comets, 6 novas and 132,000 variable star observations. Remember these discoveries were in the early 1900s to mid 1900s before CCD cameras,computer, assisted astronomy software, imaging and giant 30 inch plus amateur scopes. His first telescope was a 2 inch refractor.
We see him growing up as a small boy on the farm and his love of reading and all forms of nature and the good times he and his family have with little money and much love. There was no electric, running water or indoor plumbing. Typical rural farm early 1900s living.A much simpler time.
Eventually he makes his own mount for his scope on the family farm. Also his father and him build Leslie an observatory on the farm for his later 4 inch refractor but he has to send this telescope back to the Variable Star Association he belongs to. However they send him a wide field 6 inch refractor that is good to find comets with. Later he marries Dottie his sweetheart and they go to the southwest. Together they share Dottie's love of Archeology and Leslie continues his love of Astronomy with more discoveries. Later Leslie gets a 12 inch Clark Refractor donated to him. After repairing it he gets spectacular views.
Here is a very humble man who loved the simple life, his family and really had no need for the spotlight.
I'm an amateur astronomer of over 40 years and have a 20 inch telescope, the best eyepieces, mallincam camera, computer, software etc. Peltier had none of these to assist his discoveries. The great discoveries and shear volume of his discoveries with much simpler equipment is truly remarkable.
I'm sorry I never had the opportunity to met him. I too have bought an old farm/ranch where I plan to have an observatory built for my telescopes to explore the heavens. Someday after my passing, Leslie Peltier may we meet in the heavens to explore its wonders. I'll meet you at the HorseHead nebula.
Buy the book and slowly read it and savor it. You wont find another book that expresses such love as to why to view the stars and comets.
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