A Carthaginian named Hannibal Barca lived between about 247 and 183 BC, the product of a military father and a mother of completely unknown qualities other than what can be imputed through her son. Before he died, presumably by suicide in Roman/Carthaginian enforced exile, he brought Rome to her knees in a virtually one man crusade started by his father. Rome got off her knees largely because this man—without timely support from his own country, and under probably unparalleled assault by adversities of fate—had exhausted his strength. The unassailable facts of Hannibal’s life are few. He is said to have been handsome, of the Hellenistic prince mode, a great general by the standards of any age, and he could turn this competence toward peaceful arenas when Carthage called him again. Perhaps his deadly enemies, the Romans, gave him the ultimate compliment. The emperor Septimus Severus is said to have erected a large monument to him at Libyssa, the little town near Marmara’s water where the Lady Barca’s oldest boy decided to make his last summation. This historical fiction is dedicated to understanding a citizen of Carthage who came very close to moving his world.

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.

Sky Scrapers is about the adventure of a lifetime for Sam and Josh, who are doing research for a high school science fair on astronomy. The information comes to them by a mysterious teacher, who takes them zooming through the universe in a unique way to learn about the purpose of stars, comets, and more that inhabit the heavens. Later when at university, they have another series of adventures that finds them moving through time from Adam's arrival on earth to Abram's tent in the desert. Both of these thrilling events have a purpose to reveal how the heavens declare the glory of God and how this information has changed down through the ages. This is a story for all ages to enjoy, and maybe even to look at the stars in the heavens in a different way.

For thousands of years, observers have gazed up at the night sky and wondered at the celestial bodies that occupy the vastness of space. If you have ever wanted to learn more about such phenomena, or just how to locate the major constellations and the planets, this practical and accessible guide will provide all the information you need. Covering comets, aurorae, asteroids, and nebulae as well as the moon, stars, and planets, New Astronomer is fully illustrated with drawings and photographs. Detailed sky charts help you to navigate around the heavens and locate the major constellations, stellar objects, and the planets. For each of the planets, there is a specially prepared map to help you pinpoint the exact location of each one up to the year 2010. A planisphere is included that shows the entire sky above your head for any time of night, and for any time of the year. New Astronomer offers comprehensively detailed yet straightforward advice on choosing and using the very latest equipment, including binoculars, telescopes, and accessories. It also show you how to take photographs of celestial objects using an ordinary camera linked to your astronomical equipment. For the real enthusiast, this book features state-of-the-art technology, such as computer-linked digital imaging. Whether you are already an experienced astronomer, or just starting out, this essential guide contains all you need to know for successful skywatching.

This book collects detailed knowledge and techniques on the identification and authentication of various Chinese antiques, including ancient coins, porcelain, bronzes, gems, calligraphy, ancient paintings, etc. The book is very detailed and authentic, providing readers with in-depth analysis of Chinese antiques, so that readers from scratch become proficient experts in the field.