Offers an introduction to the night sky, details the stars and planets, and discusses how the sky has influenced the arts, literature, and other sciences

Night Has a Thousand Eyes: A Naked-Eye Guide to the Sky, Its Science, and Lore

Science & Math

Upgren, Arthur

Astronomy & Space Science

Plenum Pr

Scientists have delved deep into the smallest particles of matter and have extended their view to the far reaches of the universe, but still seem unable to predict the temperature five days hence. In this intriguing book, two scientists examine recent progress in the fields of meteorology and climatology. Amid colorful anecdotes of the Galápagos, Siberia, and places closer to home, they describe the earth's atmosphere, its origin and structure, and the forces that have shaped and continue to affect it. They explore temperature, pressure, and other properties of air and weather, including warm and cold fronts, highs and lows, clouds, trade winds, prevailing westerlies, and sky phenomena such as rainbows, halos, coronae, and sun dogs. The authors end with a discussion of the major threats to earth's atmosphere brought on by human activity, including global warming and ozone depletion, and argue that pure science--not politics--should dictate our policy responses.

Weather: How It Works And Why It Matters

Stock, Jurgen

Earth Sciences

Basic Books

Do you sometimes wonder why the sky at dusk is filled with color, or how the moon controls the tides? Why do stars twinkle and planets don't? Filled with science and lore, with references to myths, legends, and "high" and popular culture, this "naked-eye" guide (no telescope required) demystifies the celestial in accessible, instructive, and entertaining prose.Upgren tells us why werewolves only come out at night and how to find Betelgeuse. He discusses twilight, the seasons and their causes, our solar system, light and darkness, weather, stars and latitude, the moon, light pollution, and the planets. Night Has a Thousand Eyes is the perfect resource for amateur astronomers and meteorologists of all ages who pause to enjoy sunsets and identify constellations on a starry night.

Night Has a Thousand Eyes: A Naked-Eye Guide to the Sky, Its Science and Lore

Scientists have delved deep into the smallest particles of matter and have extended their view to the far reaches of the universe, but still they are unable to predict the temperature five days hence. In this intriguing book, two experts in meteorology and astronomy take us on a grand tour of Earth's weather. Amid colorful anecdotes of the Galápagos, Siberia, and places closer to home, they describe the factors involved in shaping our weather, from humidity and prevailing winds to air-pressure systems and the causes of seasonal change. They also explore the history of Earth's climate and its pivotal role in the development of life and human evolution. The authors end with a discussion of the major threats to Earth's atmosphere brought on by human activity, including global warming and ozone depletion, and argue that pure science-not politics-should dictate our policy responses.

An enchanting look at the heavens that unlocks the sky's mysteries and celebrates the beauty of the universe. No matter where we travel on Earth, the sky is the one great constant, bearing extraordinary colors and images in every kind of weather. Modern astronomy has revealed many secrets of the sky, and now the most intriguing ones have been distilled for a popular audience. With illustrations and engaging text, The Turtle and the Stars brings stargazers face-to-face with facts and lore. Topics include: What color is the atmosphere of Mars, and might it someday appear as blue as ours? How does the Milky Way cast shadows? Why is it that we never see the sunset as it's actually occurring? Earthly questions range from why the Taj Mahal glimmers when you gaze up at it to why the top of the Empire State Building travels farther than its lower floors each day. With contagious enthusiasm, Arthur Upgren also invites us to contemplate the natural beauty of the universe through recollecting scenes such as a leatherback turtle depositing her eggs under a sky lit only by Venus, or witnessing a total solar eclipse in Venezuela. A treasure trove of facts sprinkled with references to history, literature, film, and music, this is the ultimate tour for armchair astronomers and naturalists alike.

The Turtle and the Stars: Observations of an Earthbound Astronomer

Times Books

What if Earth had several moons or massive rings like Saturn? What if the Sun were but one star in a double-star or triple-star system? What if Earth were the only planet circling the Sun? These and other imaginative scenarios are the subject of Arthur Upgren's inventive book Many Skies: Alternative Histories of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars. Although the night sky as we know it seems eternal and inevitable, Upgren reminds us that, just as easily, it could have been very different. Had the solar sytem happened to be in the midst of a star cluster, we might have many more bright stars in the sky. Yet had it been located beyond the edge of the Milky Way galaxy, we might have no stars at all. If Venus or Mars had a moon as large as ours, we would be able to view it easily with the unaided eye. Given these or other alternative skies, what might Ptolemy or Copernicus have concluded about the center of the solar sytem and the Sun? This book not only examines the changes in science that these alternative solar, stellar, and galactic arrangements would have brought, it also explores the different theologies, astrologies, and methods of tracking time that would have developed to reflect them. Our perception of our surroundings, the number of gods we worship, the symbols we use in art and literature, even the way we form nations and empires are all closely tied to our particular (and accidental) placement in the universe. Many Skies, however, is not merely a fanciful play on what might have been. Upgren also explores the actual ways that human interferences such as light pollution are changing the night sky. Our atmosphere, he warns, will appear very different if we have belt of debris circling the globe and blotting out the stars, as will happen if advertisers one day pollute space with brilliant satellites displaying their products. From fanciful to foreboding, the scenarios in Many Skies will both delight and inspire reflection, reminding us that ours is but one of many worldviews based on our experience of a universe that is as much a product of accident as it is of intention.

Many Skies: Alternative Histories of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars

Rutgers University Press

What if Earth had several moons or massive rings like Saturn? What if the Sun were but one star in a double-star or triple-star system? What if Earth were the only planet circling the Sun? These and other imaginative scenarios are the subject of Arthur Upgren's inventive book Many Skies: Alternative Histories of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars. Although the night sky as we know it seems eternal and inevitable, Upgren reminds us that, just as easily, it could have been very different. Had the solar sytem happened to be in the midst of a star cluster, we might have many more bright stars in the sky. Yet had it been located beyond the edge of the Milky Way galaxy, we might have no stars at all. If Venus or Mars had a moon as large as ours, we would be able to view it easily with the unaided eye. Given these or other alternative skies, what might Ptolemy or Copernicus have concluded about the center of the solar sytem and the Sun? This book not only examines the changes in science that these alternative solar, stellar, and galactic arrangements would have brought, it also explores the different theologies, astrologies, and methods of tracking time that would have developed to reflect them. Our perception of our surroundings, the number of gods we worship, the symbols we use in art and literature, even the way we form nations and empires are all closely tied to our particular (and accidental) placement in the universe. Many Skies, however, is not merely a fanciful play on what might have been. Upgren also explores the actual ways that human interferences such as light pollution are changing the night sky. Our atmosphere, he warns, will appear very different if we have belt of debris circling the globe and blotting out the stars, as will happen if advertisers one day pollute space with brilliant satellites displaying their products. From fanciful to foreboding, the scenarios in Many Skies will both delight and inspire reflection, reminding us that ours is but one of many worldviews based on our experience of a universe that is as much a product of accident as it is of intention.

La tortuga y las estrellas: Observaciones de un astrónomo desde la Tierra

History & Philosophy

Editorial Crítica.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Upgren, Arthur. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Upgren, Arthur

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Upgren, Arthur. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Night Has a Thousand Eyes: A Naked-Eye Guide to the Sky, Its Science, and Lore

Weather: How It Works And Why It Matters

Night Has a Thousand Eyes: A Naked-Eye Guide to the Sky, Its Science and Lore

Weather: How It Works And Why It Matters

The Turtle and the Stars: Observations of an Earthbound Astronomer

Many Skies: Alternative Histories of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars

Many Skies: Alternative Histories of the Sun, Moon, Planets, and Stars

La tortuga y las estrellas: Observaciones de un astrónomo desde la Tierra