The Field Guide to Natural Phenomena: The Secret World of Optical, Atmospheric and Celestial Wonders - Softcover

Heidorn PhD, Keith C; Whitelaw, Ian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1554077079 ISBN 13: 9781554077076

Publisher: Firefly Books, 2010

Synopsis

A vivid portrait of nature's most fascinating and unexpected events.

This is an illustrated guide to nature's most theatrical and mysterious events, from eclipses and the aurora borealis to rainbows and light pillars. Dr. Keith Heidorn combines engaging text with color photographs and line drawings to describe each phenomenon in simple, non-technical terms.

The field guide examines the origins and behaviors of natural phenomena and draws on science, history, folklore, travel and other disciplines. Some are familiar events, yet others are once-in-a-lifetime spectacles. They include:

• Optical phenomena, such as green flashes, crepuscular rays, coronas, mirages
  
• Atmospheric phenomena, such as dust devils, haboobs, lenticular clouds, "pea soupers"
  
• Electrical phenomena, such as ball lightning, St. Elmo's fire, will-o'-the-wisps
  
• Aquatic phenomena, such as ice circles, diamond dust, tidal bores, waterspouts
  
• Geological phenomena, such as stone arches, mud pots, petrified forests, salt lakes
  
• Celestial phenomena, such as meteors, comets, eclipses, the Milky Way

Sixteen identification guides detail the phenomena and how each occurs.

The Field Guide to Natural Phenomena provides specific information for general readers and weather watchers about where and when nature puts on these creative performances.

About this title

About the Author:

Keith C. Heidorn, PhD, is a renowned meteorologist and a member of the American Meteorological Society and the Canadian Meteorology and Oceanographic Society. He is the author of two books, including And Now the Weather.

Ian Whitelaw is the author of several books, including A Measure of All Things: The Story of Man and Measurement. He currently lives on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Review:

An illustrated tour of everyday events and amazing spectacles, from mirages and meteors to ball lightning. (Science News 2010-11-20)

What is an eclipse? How are dust devils created? What makes a geyser work? Questions like these concerning natural phenomena have been around as look as mankind. What were once attributed to the work of ancient gods are now known to be naturally occurring events. With easy-to-understand explanations authors Heidorn and Whitelaw guide us through these wonders. Using photographs and diagrams the inner workings of our natural world are made clear. (Terry Peters North Shore News 2010-12-15)

About this edition

• Publisher: Firefly Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1554077079
• ISBN 13: 9781554077076
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224