History of Astronomy

History of Astronomy: Archives and Libraries

    Deutsche Fassung

General Inventories

• The International Catalog of Sources for History of Physics and Allied Sciences
  A catalog of information on the locations and contents of collections of archival materials, such as unpublished correspondence and institutional records, around the world. Includes history of astronomy sources.
• Arnold Sommerfeld: Wissenschaftlicher Briefwechsel (in German)
  Including many letters on astronomical matters. See the subject index "Suche nach Wissenschaft" for keywords like Astrologie, Astronomie, Astrophysik, Gravitationswellen, Keplerbewegung, Mars, kosmische Strahlung, Kosmologie, Universum, Uranus, Urknall etc.

Oral history achives

• Oral History Project of Department of Space History, National Air and Space Museum
  Including Space Astronomy Oral History Project (SAOHP) and Space Telescope History Project (STHP)
• Oral History Research Center, Indiana University
  Including oral history of astronomy (see Collections List)

Individual archives and libraries

• Arcetri, Italy: see Tuscany
• Armagh, Northern Ireland, UK
  • Armagh Observatory archives
  • Scientific Instruments [at Armagh Observatory] and Their Related Correspondence by John McFarland
    Paper from LISA-II, ESO Garching, 10-12 May 1995
• Augsburg, Germany
  • Oettingen-Wallersteinsche Bibliothek, University Library (in German)
    A very rich collection of books from the 16th to the 18th centuries, including also science and astronomy. This is a searchable database, partially including images of title pages and illustrations. Typing in astro% gives 417 hints. The books are mostly in Latin, German, and French. As an example an astronomical book from 1611 with digitized images of the title page and of an illustration is available here. Unfortunately, the WWW forms and instructions are written in German only. However, it is quiet easy to use the database following the examples.
• Australia
  • Archival sources for astronomers
    Follow the hyperlinks "Archival sources" in the biographic documents.
  • Archives of Australia
    • Earth Sciences
    • Education
    • Meteorology
    • Space science [including astronomy]
    • Science
    • Scientific Research
    • Survey and Mapping
• Basel, Switzerland
  • University Library (most texts in German)
    • Spezialabteilungen (in German)
      Including the department of manuscripts which holds the Bernoulli papers.
• Berlin, Germany
  • Deutsches Historisches Museum, German Historical Museum
    • Library (rare books)
      Including books by Apian, Galileo, Kepler etc.
    • Bibliothek - Rara (in German)
  • Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin (See also here.) (in German)
    One of the largest libraries in the world.
    • Bildarchiv (in German)
      Picture archive.
    • Handschriftenabteilung (See also here.) (in German)
      Holds a large amount of astronomers' letters.
    • Kartenabteilung (in German)
      Map department. Holds also several celectial charts and globes.
• Berne (Bern), Switzerland
  • Burgerbibliothek (in German)
    A special library for manuscripts. Among these is Rudolf Wolf's collection of astronomical autographs.
  • Stadt- und Universitätsbibliothek Bern (in German)
    • Ryhiner map collection (in English and German)
    • Zesiger-Sammlung (in German)
    • Franz Niklaus König: Atlas céleste (1826) (in English, German and French)
  • Haller Project Bern (in German)
    • Albrecht von Haller's (1708-1777) Correspondents
      Including astronomers.
• Blacksburg, Virginia, USA
  • AAAE: Archives of American Aerospace Exploration
    • AAAE: Astronomers
• Bologna, Italy
  • Antique section of the library of the Bologna Observatory
  • Archives of the Bologna Observatory (Or see this older version)
  • Vultus Uraniae: Illustrations from the Library of the Department of Astronomy, University of Bologna
    A virtual exhibition about Urania, the Muse of Astronomy
• Cambridge, UK
  • Cambridge University Library
    • Department of Manuscripts and University Archives
      • Kelvin Papers
      • Needham Papers
      • Royal Greenwich Observatory Archives
      • Papers of Sir Isaac Newton
      • Rutherford Papers
      • Stokes Collection
      • University Archives
    • Manuscripts Reading Room
    • Taylor-Schechter Genizah Research Unit
      Holds also material on astronomy, astrology and calendars. See, e.g.: T-S Readers' Guide: OS List
  • Institute of Astronomy Library
    Founded as the Library of the University Observatory in 1823, and augmented by donations of historically important books.
  • Royal Greenwich Observatory Library
    Founded in 1675. Closed in 1998.
  • Whipple Science Museum Library
  Cambridge, Mass., USA
  • Burndy Library, Dibner Institute for the History of Science and Technology
    Holdds a large number of history of astronomy books. With searchable catalogue.
• Chicago, Illinois, USA
  • Adler Planetarium Library (22 July 2002: removed from the Web? Not found at the new site www.adlerplanetarium.org)
  • University of Chicago Library
    • Manuscript Collections
      Including astronomers' papers. See also Archival Biographical File.
• Cleveland, Ohio, USA
  • University Library, Case Western Reserve University
    • Astronomy Library
    • History of Science and Technology Collection
    • Special Collections
      • Manuscript Collections
        • Charles Greeley Abbot Collection
        • Cleveland Rocket Society Collection
      • History of Science and Technology (including astronomy)
      • Manuscripts
• Columbia, Missouri, USA
  • Western Historical Manuscript Collection
    • Science and Technology
      Including astronomy
    • University of Missouri
  • University Archives
• Cracow, Poland
  • Jagiellonian Library
    • Medieval Manuscripts
      • Copernicus, Nicolaus: De revolutionibus
• Detmold, Germany
  • Lippische Landesbibliothek
    • Manuscript Catalogue
      Include: Ms. 33. Astronomie (Logistica Astronomica), von Melch. (ca. 1600). Microfilm available at Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, Collegeville, MN, USA
• Dombås, Norway
  • Norddalsarkivet, avd. Dombås (in Norwegian)
    • Arkiv NGD 105 - Sigurd Enebo
• Dortmund, Germany
  • Stadt- und Landesbibliothek Dortmund (in German)
    • Handschriften
      Among the holdings are some astronomers' letters.
• Düsseldorf, Germany
  • Heinrich-Heine-Institut (in German)
    Holds the papers of Johann Friedrich Benzenberg and a collection of letters by Karl Theodor Robert Luther.
• Edinburgh, UK
  • Library and Archives of the Royal Observatory Edinburgh
  • Edinburgh University Library
    • Manuscript Collection
      • Science
        Including letters, lecture notes and papers of astronomers, e.g., of David Gregory, Colin Maclaurin, and David Brewster.
  England: see United Kingdom
• Europe
  • MALVINE: Manuscripts and Letters via Integrated Networks in Europe
• Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom
  • University of Exeter Library - Special Collections and Manuscripts
    Including the Sir Norman Lockyer papers and maps
• Florence [Firenze], Italy: see Tuscany
• Frankfurt a. M., Germany
  • Institutsbibliothek des Instituts für Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften (in German)
    A considerable part of this history of science library is devoted to astronomy.
• Geneva (Genève, Genf), Switzerland
  • Bibliothèque de l'Observatoire de Genève (in French) (Or see here.)
    Founded in 1772.
• Germany
  • Kalliope: Verbundinformationssystem Nachlässe und Autographen (in German)
    Zentralkartei der Autographen online.
    The German central register of manuscripts.
  • WEBIS - Sammelschwerpunkte an deutschen Bibliotheken (in German)
    • Sammelschwerpunkt Astronomie. Astrophysik. Weltraumforschung
      Darunter Geschichte der Astronomie. Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen
  • Zentrale Datenbank Nachlässe (in German)
• Göttingen, Germany
  • Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen (in German)
    • Abteilung Handschriften und seltene Drucke
      • Nachlässe
        • Astronomie
          Among these are the papers of Finlay-Freundlich, Gauss, Hartmann, Mädler, Mayer, Olbers, Schwarzschild, and others.
        • Mathematik
        • Physik
      • Kartenabteilung
      • Sammlung deutscher Drucke 1701 - 1800
• Great Britain: see United Kingdom
• Hamburg, Germany
  • Hamburger Sternwarte, Bibliothek (in German) (Or see here.)
    Holds a considerable amount of historical literature. The observatory has also archival material from its history, but this is not mentioned here.
  • Institut für Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften, Mathematik und Technik, Bibliothek (in German) (See also here.)
  • Warburg-Archiv (in German)
    Aby Warburg did something for history of astronomy. The archives deal also with history of emigration in science.
• Houston, Texas, USA
  • Johnson Space Center History Archive
• Jena, Germany
  • Thüringer Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek (in German)
    • Manuscript Catalogue (in English)
      Including several astronomical manuscripts (see especially here). Microfilms available at Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, Collegeville, MN, USA
• Karlsruhe, Germany
  • Badische Landesbibliothek (in German)
    • Kartensammlung
      Includes some astronomical maps.
• Kiev (Kyiv, Kiew), Ukraine
  • 150th Anniversary of Astronomical Observatory Library by A.K.Osipov and T.M.Solntseva
    Paper from LISA-II, ESO Garching, 10-12 May 1995
• Konstanz, Germany
  • Universität Konstanz - Bibliothek (in German)
    Holds a relatively large amount of books on history of astronomy. Type in "astronomie" at this search interface setting "Suchtyp" to "Schlagwort(e)"- most of the books found are historically oriented. Or type in "wissenschaftsgeschichte" to find general history of science titles. In German, but including English and other books.
• Leipzig, Germany
  • Universitätsbibliothek Leipzig (in German)
    Holds also astronomers' letters.
    • Sondersammelgebiete
      Special collections. Among these is history of science.
• London, UK
  • Astronomy in the Science Museum Library
  • National Maritime Museum and Old Royal Observatory
    • Picture Library
    • Manuscripts Collection
  • The Royal Astronomical Society Library
    The collection includes also Rare (or Historic ) Books; Manuscripts; Photographs and other illustrations; Portraits; Telescope Illustrations; Instruments and Miscellaneous Relics.
  • The Warburg Institute (See also here.)
    • Archives
      Holds also the papers of Aby M. Warburg.
    • Library
      Holds also a large history of science collection, among this many books on history of astronomy.
• Madison, Wisconsin, USA
  • History of the Woodman Astronomical Library
• Mainz, Germany
  • Stadtbibliothek
    • Manuscript Catalogue
      Including astronomical manuscripts. Microfilms available at Hill Monastic Manuscript Library, Collegeville, MN, USA
• Manchester, UK
  • Jodrell Bank Archive (13 May 1996: still under construction)
  • Manchester Astronomical Society Archives at Manchester Central Library
• Marseille, France
  • Patrimoine et histoire de l'Observatoire de Marseille (in English and French)
    Groupe Patrimoine / History / Old Instruments / Archives / Old Books
• Milan (Milano, Mailand), Italy
  • Library of Brera Astronomical Observatory
    • On-line catalogues of books and maps
    • On-line catalogues of the archives
    • Celestial and Terrestrial Atlases
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
  • Milwaukee Urban Archives
    • Kopernik 500th Anniversary Committee of Wisconsin
• Munich (München), Germany
  • Deutsches Museum
    Both the archives and the library contain a large number of history of astronomy items.
    • Archives
    • Library
  • Institut für Geschichte der Naturwissenschaften
    • Bibliothek (in German)
• Nantucket, MA, USA
  • The Library, Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association
    Holds Maria Mitchell's manuscripts
• Naples (Napoli, Neapel), Italy
  • Il fondo antico della biblioteca dell' Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte (in Italian)
• Norman, Oklahoma, USA
  • History of Science Collections at The University of Oklahoma Libraries
    Including history of astronomy
• Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
  • Archives of the University of Notre Dame
    • Fitzpatrick, John, 1807-1881
    • Search for more astronomical records.
    • Find more astronomical records with Alta Vista
  • Jacques Maritain Center, University of Notre Dame
    • Charles de Koninck, Papers, 1934-1965
      Including papers on astronomy
• Paris, France
  • La Bibliothèque de l'Observatoire de Paris (in French)
  • The Paris Observatory Library
    including manuscripts and incunabula
• Pasadena, California, USA
  • The Caltech Institute Archives
    • Search for astronomy sources
• Pisa, Italy
  • Domus Galilaeana
    see Biblioteca for Galileo correspondence and publications (in Italian)
  • see also Tuscany
• Potsdam, Germany
  • Astrophysical Institute Potsdam: Library (some documents in German only)
    Holds a very large stock of historical literature, collected since 1700 in the Berlin Observatory, as well as some archival material.
• Riga, Latvia
  • Latvian Academic Library
    • Collection of Rare books and Manuscripts (Or see the German version.)
      Including rare astronomical books.
• San Diego, California, USA
  • San Diego State University, Malcolm A. Love Library
    • Special Collections
      • Ernst Zinner Collection
    • WWW Public Access Catalog
      Search the library catalogue, including numerous history of astronomy books.
  • University of California: Library
    • Special Collections
      • Meteorites Research
      • Register of the Hannes Alfven Papers, 1945-1991 (Or see ASCII version. See also here.)
      • Register of James Arnold Papers, 1946-1993 (Or see ASCII version. See also here.)
      • Register of Francisco Ferrer Collection, 1891-1969 (Or see ASCII version. See also here.)
        Also included in the collection are correspondence files of Charles Ange Laisant, a French mathematician and the vice-president of the Astronomy Society of France.
      • Register of the Joseph Mayer Papers, 1920-1983 (Or see ASCII version. See also here.)
        Among the correspondents are some astronomers.
      • Register of the David Lasser Papers, 1931-1994 at University of California Library, Special Collections (See also here.)
      • Register of Hans Suess Papers, 1875-1989 (Or see ASCII version. See also here.)
      • Register of the Harold Clayton Urey Papers, 1929-1981 (Or see ASCII version. See also here.)
• Santa Cruz, California, USA
  • Project Will Preserve Historical Materials at Lick Observatory (from AIP Center for History of Physics Newsletters: Fall 1995)
• St. Petersburg, Russia
  • The Library of the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy of the R.A.S. by Maria V. Lapteva
  • The Library of the Pulkovo Observatory by Elena Potter
    Papers from LISA-II, ESO Garching, 10-12 May 1995
• Stockholm, Sweden
  • Stockholm University Library
    • Library catalogue
      Includes the books of the observatory library. Type in, e.g., "history of astronomy".
• Szombathely, Hungary
  • Old Astronomical Books in the Library of Gothard Observatory
• Tartu, Estonia
  • Tartu University Library
    • Department of Manuscripts and Rare Books
      Holds also astronomers' letters.
• Toronto, Canada
  • University of Toronto Archives
    Holds the records of Helen Hogg.
• Torun, Poland
  • Nicolas Copernicus University, Main Library
    • Special collections
      Old prints (including history of science, e.g. Copernicus's writings), Manuscripts, Cartographic collection, and others.
• Trier, Germany
  • Bibliothek des Bischöflichen Priesterseminars (in German)
    Holds a special collection about Cusanus
• Tuscany [Toscana], Italy
  • Catalogue of Scientific Funds in Tuscany
• United Kingdom
  • Guide to the manuscript papers of British [contemporary] scientists
    Including astronomers
• USA
  • A Guide to Sources for Air and Space History: Primary Historical Collections in United States Repositories
    Electronic Edition. Edited by Cloyd Dake Gull
• Vatican City
  • Bibliotheca Apostolica Vaticana (in French, partly in English)
    • Urbinates Latini: Astronomie
    • Vaticani Latini: Astronomie
• Vinci, Italy
  • The Leonardo Library
  • see also Tuscany
• Washington, D.C., USA
  • Dibner Library of the History of Science & Technology
    A rare book library and part of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries division, specializing in science & technology subjects, including astronomy. Holds also manuscripts.
  • Georgetown University Archives
    Including Georgetown College Observatory Records, 1831-1971
  • Library of Congress
    Holds a large amount of history of astronomy books and manuscripts.
    • Manuscripts
    • Rare Books and Special Collections
    • Online Services
  • National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council Archives
    • NRC Divisions Collections
    • The American Geophysical Union, 1919-1939
    • International Geophysical Year
    • Space Science Board, 1958-1974
  • National Air and Space Museum, Archives Division
  • Office of Smithsonian Institution Archives
    Including astronomy and astrophysics (see also here for Latino Resources in history of astronomy)
• Wellington, New Zealand
  • Carter Observatory
    See the Heritage section

See also:

• History of Science: Archives and libraries
• History of Astronomy: Publications
• IERS Links: Books and papers
  Including library links.

Wolfgang R. Dick. Created: January 1995. Latest update: 15 Oct 2004