Customer Reviews

Kaleidoscope Sky

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is delicious. It has nuggets of text that explain in detail certain atmospheric phenomena, but my favorite aspect is the collection of photos that capture the "green flash", "St. Elmo's Fire", "bead lightning", "airglow", Iridium flares, Alpenglow, Zodiacal lights, the Earth's shadow, numerous rainbow varieties, auroras, mirages, and contrails. There are better books on any *single* topic (e.g., auroras), but this is my favorite on *all* visually stunning atmospheric phenomena.

Look up! That is the theme that runs through Tim Herd's book. If you don't, you'll miss out on some truly wonderful sights. His book treats rainbows, optical solar effects, aurorae, sunsets, and other phenomena with the awe that they deserve. The images in this book are stunning. But it is no mere picture book--Tim Herd is a meteorologist and a naturalist...he really knows his subject, and he explains things in a way that helps us understand the science and nature behind each of the images. A wonderful book for the general public but also for geography and meteorology students!

This is a beautiful little book, full of fascination information about a extraordinary range of visual effects in the sky. The initial pleasure of the book is to browse through the delightful photographs, but there is much description that needs careful attention. It was a revelation to me to discover how much there is to know about the effects of the atmosphere on sunlight. The author has had to balance the need for simplicity and clarity in explaining sometimes difficult concepts to those of in his audience who are not familiar with the science against the need to give explanations that are comprehensive and accurate. For me, this balance was sometimes uncomfortable, in that I sometimes felt the topic to be hard to grasp and sometimes I needed more detailed and technical explanations. Overall, however, I think the book well deserves a five star rating, and I'm sure it will continue to be consulted from time to time for pleasure and for information.
I should like to thank my astute grand-daughter, Holly, who discovered the book and decided that it would interest me. She was so right!

I really enjoyed this book as a photographer of nature this one is outstanding. I also like that it incoprorates explanations of how and what conditions are needed to get these kinds of photo's. Great book for those who don't take photo's as well.