GEORGE LOVI - 1939-l993
 ---------------------
 John Pazmino
 NYSkies Astronomy Inc
 nyskies@nyskies.org
 www.nyskies.org
 1993 May 1

    George Lovi died on Thursday 18 February 1993; he succumbed to 
liver cancer at St Peter's Med Ctr, New Brunswick NJ. George Lovi was 
born in Hungary and carne to America in the throes of World War II. He 
grew up in Brownsville BK in the 1950s and 1960s. He first tasted 
astronomy in the Junior Astronomy Club and was active in its Observing 
Council. He ran in the circle of other astronomers in the City and 
sported with them on the streets, alleys, and rooftops of Brooklyn. 
    He affiliated into the Amateur Astronomers Association and served 
with it thruout the 1960s, mostly in the Observing Group. He was on 
the 08 Committee, was the Deepsky Recorder, and gave frequent talks at 
the meetings. Lovi was a regular participant in the Fieldston 
starviewing meetings and the earlier cycle of Brooklyn Observatory 
sessions. He began his writing career with frequent articles in 
EYEPIECE. 
    Tho in his later years he was an unaattached astronomer, he 
posited that the single first thing a new astronomer must do is 
actively affiliate with a strong astronomy union. He often recounted 
his early attachment to the Association that exposed, promoted, 
encouraged, and even consoled him in his astronomy growth. In fact, a 
private and personal sadness he harbored concerned the rarity of such 
influential and established astronomy societies elsewhere. 
    Lovi started studies at Columbia University. However, these were' 
suspended to pursue his livelihood as a draftsman. There he honed the 
skills in cartography and calligraphy to be so much a part of his 
astronomy work. 
    George Lovi lived in various parts of the City area and in Boston 
MA. The latter was during his term as an editor for Sky and Telescope. 
He expanded over the years his astronomy writing to that magazine, 
including his 'Rambling through the Skies' column, other astronomy 
periodicals, and newsletter and journal articles. 
    He authored and coauthored about a dozen books. These range from 
pamphlets like "Seasonal Starcharts" to 'Uranometria', his magnum opus 
and now-standard staratlas. His works are collectibles among 
astrocognescenti and they regularly turn up at bookfairs. 
    George Lovi was active in the American Association of Variable 
Star Observers and was a chart compiler for new stars added to its 
program. He served as lecturer on starID for several eclipse tours in 
the 1970s and 1980s. 
    He was well versed in astrocartography, constellation lore, 
deepsky spotting, and celestial motions. He had a particular passion 
for the stereographic map projection and he exploited it for homemade 
astrolabes and his centerfold starcharts in S&T. 
    An other major interest was planetaria. Lovi worked at several in 
the City area, beginning with the Brooklyn Children's Museum in the 
early 1960s. At his mother's home he built a planetarium seating four 
and in the 1970s he worked for Viewlex Co. His writings inspired other 
astronomers to appreciate the marvels built into these machines and to 
learn their histories. 
    Beyond astronomy George Lovi was a electric rail buff, a member of 
the Electric Railroaders Association, and a regular rider on its 
subway and el excursion trips. A typical Lovi iconograph was the 
Livonia Avenue el, which conveyed him to the City and the stars in his 
youth. He also was conversant in mechanics, photography, and optics.