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Atmospheric optics
Lightning
Clouds
Miscellaneous
- Color and light in nature (2nd edition)
David K. Lynch and William Livingston
Cambridge University Press (2001) - ISBN 0-521-77284-2
An excellent book about atmospheric optics. It is well-written, has many color photographs and illustrations, and describes some phenomena that aren't discussed in most other books.
- Le meraviglie del cielo (Wonders of the sky)
Paolo Candy
Il Castello, Collane Tecniche, Milan, Italy (1997) - ISBN 88-8039-125-9
This is a very nice book showing Paolo Candy's sky photography. Candy presents spectacular photos and photography techniques and tips for many different weather phenomena, from halos and the sun's green flash to clouds and astronomy. The book is in Italian, but an English edition is being published.
- The color of nature
Pat Murphy & Paul Doherty
Chronicle (1996)
Title suggested by James Palmer. Review will follow when book is in my collection.
- Atmospheric halos (Antarctic reseach series, volume 64)
Walter Tape
American Geophysical Union, Washington D.C. (1994)
This work shows Walter Tape's halo research carried out on the South Pole. It contains breathtaking halo photographs and is highly recommended for anyone wanting to know more about atmospheric halos.
- The rainbow - from myth to mathematics
Carl B. Boyer
Princeton University Press (1987) - ISBN 0-691-08457-2
As the title suggests, this book contains both the history of observations, theories, and mathematics of the rainbow. It is not a very useful book for quick informational reading - it is more like a novel. There are several drawings and illustrations in it, but no (color) photographs.
- Rainbows, mirages and sundogs
Roy Gallant
MacMillan (1987)
Title suggested by James Palmer. Review will follow when book is in my collection.
- Rare halos, mirages, anomalous rainbows and other electromagnetic phenomena
Compiled by William R. Corliss
The Sourcebook Project (1984) - ISBN 0-915554-12-7
Corliss' series of anomalies books are highly interesting reading. This book contains the most bizarre atmospheric optics sightings made. Corliss catalogues all phenomena and supplies example observation reports and references. While some phenomena have since been explained well, many unusual or bizarre phenomena remain unexplained as of today.
- Sunsets, twilights & evening skies
Aden & Marjorie Meinel
Cambridge University Press (1983) - ISBN 0-521-25220-2
A very worthwhile book having if you want to know more about sunrise and sunset phenomena, including twilight colors, the purple red, earth's shadow band, etc. The book contains many color photographs showing the phenomena.
- Wonders of the sky
Fred Schaaf
Dover Publ. Inc. New York (1983) - ISBN 0-486-24402-4
Fred Schaaf wrote this pocket-size book which contains interesting and beautiful events observable in the sky. The focus is on astronomical events, like comets, meteors, zodiacal light, opposition light, solar/lunar eclipses and so, but the book also describes several terrestrial phenomena. The book contains mostly text, with sparse photos and diagrams.
- Lightning, auroras, nocturnal lights and other luminous phenomena
Compiled by William R. Corliss
The Sourcebook Project (1982) - ISBN 0-915554-09-7
Structured like the atmospheric optics series, this book contains many unusual electromagnetic phenomena observed by mankind, including ball-lightning, mountain glows, anomalous auroras, will-of-the-wisps, to name but a few. Corliss catalogues all phenomena and supplies example observation reports and references. While some phenomena have since been explained well, many unusual or bizarre phenomena remain unexplained as of today.
- Light scattering by small particles
H.C. van de Hulst
Dover Publ. Inc. New York (1981) - ISBN 0-486-64228-3
For the die-hard atmospheric optics scientist, this book explains theories behind the glory, corona, irisation, and light scattering in general. Contains a lot of mathematics, but an excellent book for the researcher.
- Halos, rainbows & glories
Robert Greenler
Cambridge University Press (1980) - ISBN 0-521-38865-1
This book has become one of the reference books on atmospheric halos. Apart from other atmospheric optics, it describes most of the known halo forms, complete with light paths through crystals and computer simulations. The book is somewhat older, and may not be accurate as of today anymore, but is certainly worth having.
- Rainbows, halos and other wonders
Kenneth Heuer
Dodd, Meade (1978)
Title suggested by James Palmer. Review will follow when book is in my collection.
- Optics of the atmosphere
E.J. McCartney
John Wiley & sons, NY (1976) - ISBN 0-471-01526-1
Mathematical treatment of optical properties of the atmosphere such as scattering, extinction etc.
- Light & color in nature (Natuurkunde van het vrije veld)
M. Minnaert
B.V.W.J. Thieme & Cie Zutphen (NL print) (1974) - ISBN 90-03-90780-3 (NL print)
I personally think this is still the best book around for the weather/nature observer. Minnaert takes you into the field to discover all sorts of phenomena, many of which you'll wonder about if you would ever have noticed it yourself. Actually, this book, which comes as a series of 3 pocket-size books (the original Dutch edition that is) is quite old, but everybody interested in physics and the weather should have this. It has been translated in many languages.
- Introduction to meteorological optics
R.A.R. Tricker
American Elsevier publishing company, NY (1970) - ISBN 263-70263-4
Mathematical work by the great R.A.R. Tricker about optical effects in the atmosphere, such as halos, rainbows, coronas, heiligenschein and such. Contains lots of diagrams and a few photos.
- Twilight
G.V. Rozenberg
Plenum Press, NY (1966)
This book is unique in its sort; I know of no other book that is solely about twilight. It's a mathematical treatment, but if you're able to dig out the important issues this is highly interesting reading. Many phenomena related to twilight are covered.
- The green flash and other low sun phenomena
D.J.K. O-Connell, S.J.
Vatican Observatory / North Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam (1958)
This may be the only book around dedicated to the sun's green flash. It is somewhat older but interesting material to read.
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