The library of an amateur azorean astronomer in the first decade of the 20th century

Abstract

The modern amateur astronomical movement started in the last decades of the 19th century. At the time, Portugal was not immune to international developments and several national personalities have currently been known to conduct astronomical observations between 1880 and 1910. Among these, the Azorean João de Moraes Pereira (1855‐1908) stands out. Amateur astronomers were not bound by contractual obligations and, sometimes, were not even integrated in formal structures. Consequently, characterizing this community and, in particular, understanding its motivations, the work it carried out, and the interaction networks formed by its members is a complex task due to the scarcity of available information. A partial list of the contents of João de Moraes Pereira’s library we have recently discovered will allow us to document several pending questions concerning his astronomical activity, thereby enabling us a better understanding of his life and work.