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Many lights and other objects in the sky go unrecognised, or at
least are little understood by those observing them. Such things
range from the commonplace like rainbows and meteors, to the
distinctly unusual like the green flash and ball lightning. And
there is still a residuum of objects that remain unidentified by
the watcher - classed generally as 'UFOs', a description which
today has connotations of the mysterious, even of extraterrestrial
visitors. The first part of this book is an identification guide,
very much like the "plant identifier" sections found in a good
gardening or botany book. It allows quick (and structured)
identification of known aerial phenomena, whether at night or
during the day. The objects thus found are referenced to the second
part of the book... The second part gives a full description,
physical explanation, and where relevant notes on observing and
photographing the various phenomena. Some will need optical aids
such as binoculars or telescopes, but the main thrust of the book
is identification and explanation rather than imaging. The final
chapter approaches UFOs from a scientific standpoint, particularly
the way in which human perception and often preconception affects
the outcome. It does however finish with a short section on
"extraterrestrial UFOs", emphasising the burden of proof aspect and
touching on the scientific theories of life on other worlds and the
improbability of visitors.
Although transits of planets across the Sun are rare (only Mercury and Venus orbit the Sun closer than us, and so can transit the Sun's disc) amateur astronomers can observe, record and image other kinds of transit, which are very much more frequent. Transit is in two parts, the first telling the fascinating story of the early scientific expeditions to observe transits. The second part is for practical observers, and explains how to observe transits of all sorts - even transits of aircraft as they fly between the observer and the Sun!
A total eclipse of the Sun is due in August 1999. It will attract
alot of interest because - unusually - it will be visible in much
of Europe and the UK. A total Solar Eclipse is always fascinating.
This book is for everyone that wants to know 1. What a Solar
Eclipse is 2. The phenomena one can expect to see 3. How to
photograph an eclipse using a variety of methods 4. How to plan for
an eclipse expedition. The book not only covers the 1999 eclipse
but also past and future eclipses which we can look forward to.
This book is also interesting to "armchair astronomers" as it
contains alot of historical and anecdotal information. There's even
a final chapter on "Eclipse Mishaps and Oddities" including the
American eclipse expedition of 1780 that missed the total eclipse
because they went to the wrong location
Faced with widespread and devastating loss of biodiversity in wild
habitats, scientists have developed innovative strategies for
studying and protecting targeted plant and animal species in
"off-site" facilities such as botanic gardens and zoos. Such ex
situ work is an increasingly important component of conservation
and restoration efforts.
Ex Situ Plant Conservation, edited by Edward O. Guerrant Jr.,
Kayri Havens, and Mike Maunder, is the first book to address
integrated plant conservation strategies and to examine the
scientific, technical, and strategic bases of the ex situ approach.
The book examines where and how ex situ investment can best support
in situ conservation. Ex Situ Plant Conservation outlines the role,
value, and limits of ex situ conservation as well as updating best
management practices for the field, and is an invaluable resource
for plant conservation practitioners at botanic gardens, zoos, and
other conservation organizations; students and faculty in
conservation biology and related fields; managers of protected
areas and other public and private lands; and policymakers and
members of the international community concerned with species
conservation.
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Catan
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R1,150
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Discovery Miles 8 870
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