Color and Light in Nature

We live in a world of optical marvels--from the commonplace but beautiful rainbow, to the rare and eerie superior mirage. But, how many of us really understand how a rainbow is formed, why the setting sun is red and flattened, or even why the sky at night is not absolutely black? Color and Light in Nature provides clear explanations of all naturally occurring optical phenomena seen with the naked eye, including shadows, halos, water optics, mirages, and a host of other spectacles. Separating myth from reality, David Lynch and William Livingston outline the basic principles involved, and support them with many figures and references. Rare and spectacular photographs, many in full color, illustrate the phenomena throughout. In this new edition the authors have added over 50 new color images and provide new material on experiments readers can conduct themselves, such as how to photograph geostationary satellites with your own camera. David K. Lynch is an astronomer and atmospheric physicist specializing in infrared studies of star-formation regions, interstellar matter, comets, novae, and supernovae. He began his career teaching at the California Institute of Technology and at the University of California at Berkeley. Today, he operates Thule Scientific, a private research institute. He is or has been the Principal Investigator on a variety of NASA, NOAA, NSF, and Department of Defense programs. He lives in Topanga, California. William Livingston has been an astronomer at the Kitt Peak Observatory in southern Arizona since 1959. He helped design and build instruments and telescopes before becoming a solar observer. Livingston has participated in many solar eclipse expeditions in Alaska, the South Pacific, Africa, Indonesia, India, and recently Turkey, but believes that his best sightings of atmospheric phenomena have been from his backyard in Tucson.

Table of Contents:
Preface; 1. Shadows; 2. Clear air; 3. Water; 4. Water drops; 5. Ice and halos; 6. Naked eye astronomy; 7. Observing; 8. Exotic clouds; Glossary; Index.

About the Author :
David Lynch is an astronomer and atmospheric physicist, specializing in infrared studies of star-formation regions, comets, supernovae and cirrus clouds. After receiving his PhD in astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin, he was a Visiting Associate in Physics at the California Institute of Technology and an Assistant Astronomer at the University of California at Berkeley. He has worked at the Hughes Research Laboratories and the Aerospace Corporation, and operates Thule Scientific, a private research institute. He has organised and chaired many meetings on atmospheric science and been Principal Investigator on a variety of NASA, NOAA, NSF and DoD programs. Bill Livingston has been an astronomer at the Kitt Peak Observatory in southern Arizona for his entire professional life (since Jan 1959). Originally he helped design and build instruments and telescopes. Later he became a solar observer and has spent a great deal of time on Kitt Peak, a fact which accounts for many of the pictures in this book. He participated in many solar eclipse expeditions which took him to Alaska, the South Pacific, Africa, Indonesia, India, and recently Turkey. He has traveled widely in Russia and China, but he hastens to add that his best sightings of atmospheric phenomena were from his backyard in Tucson.

Review :
'Most people notice only the occasional rainbow and pretty sunset, yet they could see much more if they only knew what to look for. Color and Light in Nature will facilitate this admirably … the up-to-date research, new ideas, beautiful pictures, and excellent explanations make Color and Light in Nature the new classic.' Science '… a beautifully illustrated popular account of atmospheric phenomena … Many teachers as well as a good many naturalists will find the book to be a highly useful and comprehensive treatment of a beautiful subject, one that can be used to enliven dry classroom discussions of optics, light and colour.' Nature 'Lynch and Livingston deserve the thanks of the scientific community for re-opening our eyes to the wonderful world around us.' American Scientist 'A breathtaking list of effects is explained … along with how they got there. It just made me want to rush out and look at the things.' New Scientist 'If you ever wanted to know why the sky is blue, or what clouds are made of, or how rainbows are formed, then this is the book for you.' Brendan K. Ward, Astronomy & Space