From the ancient days of the King Solomon to the modern times of Mark Twain’s romance The Prince and the Pauper, there were numerous legends and folk stories about entwined destinies of the people who shared the same date of birth. Many thinkers and astrologers have tried to explore this phenomenon, but there were no solid facts confirming these legends. Celestial Twins is the first evidence-based work that establishes the historical truth behind such myths, exploring 17 representative life stories. It begins as a tale of one curious observation of meaningful interconnectedness between life-paths of two historical personalities born on the same day of the same year. This accidental observation led to a systematic 15-year study of well-known celestial twins in which cases of such entwined life stories were detected and studied. This research led to the discovery of a new phenomenon—the Effect of Celestial Twins (ECT)—which demonstrates that though each human being is unique, there is fairly exact matching between the biographical data of celestial twins. All personages in these stories are well-known historical characters, such as Ernest Hemingway, Oscar Wilde, Nancy Astor, King George VI, Carl Gustav Jung, and Pablo Casals. Each of them was believed to have an unprecedented life path; and yet each person in these stories had a “twin” who had the same unique life task, used the same methods to complete it, and gained the same results.

Case studies combine archaeological data and oral tradition to illustrate how the archaeological expression of beliefs and meanings passed down in the oral tradition may be interpreted. Explanations in Iconography: Ancient American Indian Art, Symbol, and Meaning is a significant contribution to the field of archaeology – a contribution in iconography studies that has gradually been coming into its own. Iconography is a rich and fascinating field, as applied to the complex, and heretofore enigmatic, imagery on many ancient Pre-Columbian artifacts. When viewed through the lens of early ethnographic records and American Indian oral traditions, as well as information from knowledgeable American Indian elders, it opens a world of understanding and clarity until recently unknown in the field of anthropological archaeology. It brings us closer to the people who created the artifacts and offers a glimpse into the symbols and beliefs that were important to them. Chapters cover a wide variety of artifacts and imagery from several ancient American Indian cultures. These artifacts include petroglyphs and pictographs (rock art), mounds, engraved shell cups and gorgets, burial architecture and grave furniture, pottery, copper repoussé, and other media. Ancient graphics, engravings, mounds, and all were created to deliver a message to the viewer – and many of those messages are finally coming to light. The artifacts included are from a variety of regions, mainly in the Midwest and Eastern United States. We hope that this volume will encourage others to look more deeply into the meaning behind the ancient imagery and arts and give the past a chance to be known.

An arresting illustrated history of twins in mythology, science, and visual culture Twins have captivated the imagination for centuries, occupying a unique place in our cultural and scientific history. Twinkind looks at twins in myth and legend; anatomy, sociology, and genetics; and as sources of spectacle, entertainment, and community. Drawing on hundreds of striking and sometimes haunting illustrations, William Viney examines depictions of twins as protagonists in creation stories ranging from Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca in Aztec mythology to Artemis and Apollo in Greek legend. He describes how twins have featured prominently in scientific research across the centuries, but especially in the work of Francis Galton, whose study of twins on the behavioral question of heredity versus environment gave rise to the pseudoscience of eugenics in the late nineteenth century. Viney explores the representation of twins in art, photography, and film—from the works of Roger Ballen to the cinema of Stanley Kubrick—and delves into the darker meanings ascribed to twins across the millennia. A visual journey like no other, this book sheds critical light on the competing visions of twins around the world and throughout history, showing how the lived experience of twinkind has elicited profound attraction and respect, but also puzzlement, fear, and fascination.

Now with removable planisphere! Starfinder lays out the universe clearly, highlighting the signposts in the sky and explaining the cosmology of the stars. Discover the wonders of the night sky with up-to-date information about the universe, including monthly charts to both the northern and southern hemisphere, and a section on observing the Moon, planets, and other bodies of the solar system.

Viewing the Constellations with Binoculars is a complete guide to practical astronomy, written for beginners, intermediate-level astronomers, and even people who have not yet turned their gaze to the night sky. The required observing equipment to get the full value from this book is no more than a pair of regular 10 x 50 binoculars, but even more can be seen with a small astronomical telescope. This comprehensive introduction to astronomy and practical observing is far more than a guide to what can be seen in the night sky through binoculars. It introduces the reader to some basic (and some not-so-basic) astronomical concepts, and discusses the stars and their evolution, the planets, nebulae, and distant galaxies. There is a guide to selecting and using binoculars for astronomy, as well, as a ‘getting ready to observe’ section containing invaluable practical hints and tips. The second part of the book is an extraordinarily complete atlas and guide to the night sky down to 30o N (covering all the USA and Europe). It is illustrated with superb and sometimes beautiful amateur astronomical photographs, detailed maps (down to 5th magnitude), descriptions, and data on all astronomical objects of interest.

Astonishing images bring every corner of the universe, from Mars to the farthest galaxies, to the printed page. Cosmos is a visually captivating journey through the universe and is as expansive as the cosmos itself. It covers everything from the asteroid belt to deep space probes, the ISS to the Oort Cloud, the Big Bang to the end of the universe, and (just about) everything in between. It presents space as humanity has never seen it before, featuring the latest images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, and a wealth of new pictures that also includes panoramic views of the surface of Mars and images captured by probes that have landed for the first time on comets and asteroids. Cosmos is a tour through space, starting with the sun and inner solar system then moving through the outer planets and into the Milky Way and finally the realm of distant galaxies. The gorgeous images are supported by illustrations that dissect the image or explain the processes going on, such as star birth or the workings of supermassive black holes. Throughout the book are features on the technology of space exploration, the history of astronomy, and our cultural connection to the night sky. With a clear, stylish, pared-back design, Cosmos is a perfect introduction to the wonders of the universe for young and old astronomers alike. Make time for space time!