David J. Eicher

David John Eicher (born August, 1961) is one of the most widely recognized astronomy enthusiasts in the world. He is editor-in-chief of Astronomy magazine, the author of numerous books and articles, and a widely-published American historian as well. Born in Oxford, Ohio, Eicher is the son of John Harold Eicher (1921– ), an emeritus professor of organic chemistry at Miami University, and Susan Ann Arne Eicher (1923–1983).

Early Youth

Initially drawn to medicine as a youngster, Eicher was attracted to the stars as a 14-year-old, when he spotted Saturn through a small telescope at a star party. Comet West really turned him on to observing, and Eicher soon went far beyond to explore clusters, nebulae, and galaxies from his dark backyard. During his transformation, Eicher attended Talawanda High School, and he became involved in a local astronomy club, writing copy for their newsletter. Enamored with deep-sky objects — star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies that lie beyond the solar system — he became a self-taught expert on them. At age 15, while a high school student, he began publishing Deep Sky Monthly, a journal for amateur astronomers, printing issues on the mimeograph machine in his father’s chemistry office.

Professional career

Eicher’s amateur publication, commenced in June 1977, filled a niche for amateur astronomers, coinciding with the development of easily-available large telescopes to explore such deep-space objects, and the publication grew from a circulation of 30 to more than 1,000. In 1982, by the time Eicher was pushing through his physics education at Miami University, the publication, which became a family project, was too large to manage any longer. Eicher sold it to AstroMedia Corp., the publisher of Astronomy magazine, and joined the staff of Astronomy as an assistant editor. Eicher’s publication was retitled Deep Sky and published quarterly, with Eicher retaining the editorship. The magazine as published from 1982 through 1992, when Kalmbach Publishing Co., the publisher, decided to discontinue the publication in part so that Eicher could concentrate fully on Astronomy.

Astronomy Magazine

Eicher has been with Astronomy magazine for 25 years, working through associate, senior, and managing positions. He has been the magazine's chief editor since 2002. Eicher achieved celebrity status among amateur astronomers with his precocious publication, his abilities as an observer (which were showcased in both publications), and with his promotion of astronomy as a hobby. He has spoken widely to amateur astronomy groups, logged hundreds of hours at the eyepiece, and written seven books on astronomical observing. Among the most used by amateur astronomers are The Universe from Your Backyard (Cambridge University Press), Deep-Sky Observing with Small Telescopes (Enslow), and Stars and Galaxies (Kalmbach Books). In addition to his book writing, Eicher has written or edited hundreds of articles on all facets of astronomy, science and hobby. In 1990, the International Astronomical Union named a minor planet, 3617 Eicher, for Eicher in recognition of his service to astronomy. In addition to Astronomy, Eicher has written for USA Today, Civil War Times Illustrated, The Writer, Odyssey, Telescope Making, and Sky & Telescope magazines, and been quoted in TIME and Newsweek.

Promotion of Astronomy

Eicher has appeared on CNN, CNN Headline News, Fox News Channel, WGN radio, National Public Radio, and other media outlets to promote the science and hobby of astronomy.

Civil War History

With excess energy beyond his astronomy activities, Eicher discovered an interest in the American Civil War during the 1980s when he was given artifacts and papers of his great-great grandfather, who fought in an Ohio regiment. Since then Eicher has also studied Civil War history; he has written eight books on the subject, including Dixie Betrayed (Little, Brown), The Longest Night (Simon and Schuster), Civil War High Commands (Stanford Univ. Press), and The Civil War in Books (Univ. of Illinois Press). He also studies World War II and ancient history and collects and studies minerals and meteorites. Eicher is an accomplished rock and blues drummer and dabbles in guitar, most focused on Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, the Allman Brothers, and Cream.

Eicher lives near Big Bend in Waukesha Township, Wisconsin, with his wife, Lynda Ann Tortomasi Eicher (1961– ) and son, Christopher David Eicher (1992– ).

Major Works

Eicher’s major publications are:

• 50 Greatest Mysteries of the Universe (Kalmbach, 2007)
• Dixie Betrayed: How the Confederacy Really Lost the Civil War (Little Brown, 2006)
• Beginner’s Guide to Astronomy (Kalmbach, 2003)
• Gettysburg Battlefield: The Definitive Photographic History (Chronicle Books, 2003)
• The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War (Simon and Schuster, 2001)
• Civil War High Commands (coauthor, with John H. Eicher, Stanford University Press, 2001)
• Mystic Chords of Memory: Civil War Battlefields and Historic Sites Recaptured (Louisiana State University Press, 1998)
• Robert E. Lee: A Life Portrait (Taylor, 1997)
• The Civil War in Books: An Analytical Bibliography (University of Illinois Press, 1997)
• Civil War Battlefields: A Touring Guide (Taylor, 1995)
• Beginner’s Guide to Amateur Astronomy (Kalmbach, 1993)
• The New Cosmos: The Astronomy of Our Galaxy and Beyond (editor, Kalmbach, 1992)
• Galaxies and the Universe: An Observing Guide from Deep Sky Magazine (editor and coauthor, Kalmbach, 1992)
• Stars and Galaxies: Astronomy’s Guide to Observing the Cosmos (editor and coauthor, Kalmbach, 1992)
• Beyond the Solar System: 100 Best Deep-Sky Objects for Amateur Astronomers (Kalmbach, 1992)
• Civil War Journeys calendar (Tide-mark, 1990–2000)
• Deep Sky Observing with Small Telescopes (Enslow, 1989)
• The Universe from Your Backyard (Cambridge University Press, 1988)