Many lights and other objects in the sky go unrecognised or at least are little understood by
those observing them. Such things range from the commonplace like rainbows and meteors to the
distinctly unusual like the green flash and ball lightning. And there is still a residuum of
objects that remain unidentified by the watcher - classed generally as 'UFOs' a description
which today has connotations of the mysterious even of extraterrestrial visitors. The first
part of this book is an identification guide very much like the plant identifier sections
found in a good gardening or botany book. It allows quick (and structured) identification of
known aerial phenomena whether at night or during the day. The objects thus found are
referenced to the second part of the book... The second part gives a full description physical
explanation and where relevant notes on observing and photographing the various phenomena.
Some will need optical aids such as binoculars or telescopes but the main thrust of the book
is identification and explanation rather than imaging. The final chapter approaches UFOs from a
scientific standpoint particularly the way in which human perception and often preconception
affects the outcome. It does however finish with a short section on extraterrestrial UFOs
emphasising the burden of proof aspect and touching on the scientific theories of life on other
worlds and the improbability of visitors.
