Richard A. Proctor

Half-hours with the Stars (Illustrated Edition) (Dodo Press) Richard A. Proctor Illustrated edition

Richard Anthony Proctor (1837-1888), British astronomer, was born in Chelsea, London. He is best remembered for having produced one of the earliest maps of Mars in 1867 from 27 drawings by the British observer William Rutter Dawes. His first book, Saturn and His System was published in 1865 at his own expense. This work contains an elaborate account of the phenomena presented by the planet. His earlier efforts were, however, not always successful. His Handbook of the Stars (1866) was refused by the publishers but being privately printed, it sold fairly well. For his Half-Hours with the Telescope (1868), which eventually reached a 20th edition, he received originally £25 from Messrs Hardwick. His literary standing meantime improved. In 1870 appeared his Other Worlds Than Ours, in which he discussed the question of the plurality of worlds in the light of new facts. This was followed by a long series of popular treatises in rapid succession. The largest and most ambitious work, Old and New Astronomy, unfortunately left unfinished at his death, was completed by A. Cowper Ranyard and published in 1892.