The Finnish Astronomical Association URSA has just published a new book on halos by Marko Riikonen. This book combines the latest halo science with stunning images from all around the world.
Spanning 168 pages, the book presents, illustrates and analyses all the known (and the less well known!) halo forms in great detail. In addition, the newly made discoveries and methodologies concerning spotlight displays are discussed in depth. Many historical displays are also included as a reference. Particular care has been put into preparing the beautiful computer simulations that are used to explain the ice crystal populations behind each display.
The variety of the images is striking and Riikonen has obviously spent a lot of time in finding great examples. Luckily the quality of printing matches these images: I have rarely, if ever, seen a print job this good. Even the faintest halos can be distinguisted in the images.
As Riikonen is a long-time expert in the field, the substance of the book is solid and provides everybody from beginners to experts with new insights about halo science. Being such a significant contribution to the field of atmospheric optics one can but hope for a quick release of an English language edition.
A few select pages can be previewed online (1). Publisher information (2).
Riikonen, Marko (2011) Halot. Jääkidepilvien valoilmiöt. [Halos. The optical phenomena of ice crystal clouds]. Tähtitieteellinen yhdistys URSA ry, Helsinki.
Let me be the first to congratulate you on this massive job Marko! Well done!
ReplyDeleteHaving witnessed the untiring, endless efforts and the sheer amount of hard work and dedication you have put to this volume, I'm left humbled. All that hard work really pays in this fabulous result!
This book published not on english language.
ReplyDeletewill you publish it on english?
Thanks Jari. I don't know whether an English edition will come. I hope so, then I can correct all the mistakes that are there.
ReplyDeleteHeh, Marko, every book has typos and little stuff like that.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Marko! Well done!
ReplyDeleteI haven't got my own copy yet, but I was able to see the book yesterday in a local book store and it looks great. I was surprised that even some of the faintest rare halos can be seen in printed photos.
I really hope that this book will be published in English too. Some book published by Ursa has been published in English, so there is some hope for that.
Jarmo, you should receive yours today. :)
ReplyDeleteThe print quality exceeded all of my expectations. It's just fabulous. I'm also very impressed by how the most saturated colors are reproduced. The paper / ink / print process seems to have quite wide a gamut. It is evident in e.g. the Schulthess image on page 75.
Thanks Jarmo. Yeah, these are the best halo prints I have seen. It has been always the worry with halo photos that faint features don't show up in the prints. Now it seems those times are over.
ReplyDeleteYeah!
ReplyDeleteKeep me posted for the English translation.
Elmar
Great book Marko! Thank you for it.
ReplyDeleteHeck yeah marko GIT R DONE!!! When you do english version I want my copy too.
ReplyDeleteI received my copy yesterday. The image quality is overwhelmingly good. And the text is inspiring: full of important details and information in an easy-to absorb package. Thanks for this treasure, Marko!
ReplyDeleteTime to practise my Finnish:) Thanks for the book, Marko. Amazing quality, and it is so informative with the superb simulations! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThanks folks. Thusfar the book has been recognized only on non-Finnish sites. I am getting to wonder why I had to write it in Finnish.
ReplyDeleteI got my copy yesterday and, yeah, it lives up to all the raves (above). How much of a job, Marko, would it be to do the thing in English? You might not even have to fiddle much with the layout.
ReplyDeleteIt looks superb, I am waiting for the English translation
ReplyDelete