The Star Trails Tetralogy, i.e. Beyond the Hidden Sky; A Dark of Endless Days; A Psilent Place Below; and Refractions of Frozen Time, takes place in a fictitious universe which includes unfamiliar vocabulary, alien races, and numerous planets. This compendium was compiled for readers who requested more detail, such as a glossary of terms as well as descriptions of the political structure, weather patterns, and Cyraria's indigenous race, the bnolar. Topical discussion guides at the chapter level are included as well for those who want to delve even deeper, including book club discussion groups and #STEM educators who could use the stories to stimulate interest in numerous scientific or sociological topics.
Close families share everything. Including consequences. When one of the HIO’s premier terralogists refuses a job offer from a wannabe despot the chain of suspicious circumstances which quickly follow scatter his family across the galaxy. Torn apart by space and time, will each survive long enough to be united ever again? This Box Set contains the tetralogy's four volumes: Beyond the Hidden Sky (vol. 1); A Dark of Endless Days (vol. 2); A Psilent Place Below (vol. 3); and its conclusion, Refractions of Frozen Time (vol. 4). Also included is The Star Trails Compendium, which covers terms, definition, weather, political structure, and planetary description of the Cyrarian planetary system as well as a chapter by chapter discussion and lesson plan guide for parents and educators who may want to use the series for extra credit reading in STEM programs.
It is a pleasure to present this work, which has been well received in German-speaking countries through four editions, to the English-speaking reader. We feel that this is a unique publication in that it contains valuable material that cannot easily-if at all-be found elsewhere. We are grateful to the authors for reading through the English version of the text, and for responding promptly (for the most part) to our queries. Several authors have supplied us, on their own initiative or at our suggestion, with revised and updated manuscripts and with supplementary English references. We have striven to achieve a translation of Handbuch for Sternfreunde which accurately presents the qualitative and quantitative scientific principles con tained within each chapter while maintaining the flavor of the original Ger man text. Where appropriate, we have inserted footnotes to clarify material which may have a different meaning and/or application in English-speaking countries from that in Germany. When the first English edition of this work, Astronomy: A Handbook (translated by the late A. Beer), appeared in 1975, it contained 21 chapters. This new edition is over twice the length and contains 28 authored chap ters in three volumes. At Springer's request, we have devised a new title, Compendium of Practical Astronomy, to more accurately reflect the broad spectrum of topics and the vast body of information contained within these pages.
May 30, 1978 starts out as a normal night at Hill AFB in Ogden, Utah--until a UFO requests permission to land. Its pilot changes its mind, but by then F-16s escort the rogue vehicle to the ground. A human girl in her early teens and a robot exit the craft, a strange botanical lifeform found onboard by a landing party. The vehicle, robot, and suspicious plant are impounded and transported to Area 51 where NASA astrobiologist, Gabriel Greenley, PhD, is called in to study the lifeform. Greenley's attempt to take a leaf sample results in a vehement telepathic objection from the specimen, indicating it's intelligent and potentially dangerous. He eventually gets his sample and makes a ground-breaking discovery he can never publish, due to his security oaths and research agreement. Eventually, he's confronted by an even worse ethical dilemma that forces him to make a treasonous and potentially deadly decision.
A series of technical papers were prepared by scientists of Air Force Cambridge Laborities during 1962 in the fields of geodesy and planetary geometry. These papers describe research activities in the areas of satellite geodesy (in particular Project ANNA), rocketflare triangulation, airborne gravimetry, absolute and relative gravity, laser geodesy, and selenodesy. Illustrations show recent geodetic instrumentation developments and technique configuration. (Author).
Thyron is a flora peda telepathis from the planet, Sapphira. His world is populated by his species of telepathic walking plants as well as a race of cannibalistic pygmies who worship them as gods. Encounters with humans generally don't end well. Face it, humans are omnivorous and plants a popular source of nourishment. Attempt this on Sapphira, however, and the food chain is likely to change rather abruptly. If you've read "Beyond the Hidden Sky" you've already met the Sapphirans as well as Thyron and experienced his botanical wisdom. This short story is a prequel to his adventures in The Star Trails Tetralogy.
Moving to another planet is never easy. It's even harder when you never arrive.Laren Brightstar knew refusing to work for Augustus Troy would make him a target. Accepting the chief terralogist position on the other side of the galaxy seemed like the simplest solution. Getting there, however, isn't. Nothing is simple with a teenage daughter like Creena.She's intelligent.She's a rebel.And now she's missing. In deep space.Was it an accident? Or abduction?Either way, he has to find her. Before Troy does. And somehow he knows life will never be simple again.
This fourth and final volume of the Star Trails Tetralogy provides the action-packed and surprise ridden conclusion to the Brightstar saga that began in Beyond the Hidden Sky.Guilt ridden by their failure to prevent their father's ambush and exile Dirck and Creena remain at odds over cristobalite's usefulness. Eventually Dirck and Win depart for the Clique base at Apoca Canyon while Creena and the others remain in the Caverns to continue the controversial research. When little brother, Deven, finds a new crystal with even more amazing properties hope returns that saving their father may yet be possible. But before she can uncover its secrets Integrator forces invade the Caverns necessitating a harrowing escape loaded with unexpected consequences.Believing they're all lost forever, Dirck endures a dark and lonely time that changes him forever. The strange circumstances of their return vindicate Creena's faith in the crystals but now they're in a lethal race against the Integrator to develop the technology that will assure victory with time itself the ultimate prize.
Dirck Brightstar knows there's something really weird about the caverns. Where did that dream come from? And how is it possible that his mother shared the same, identical dream? Orchestrating a prison break to rescue his father is a formidable task, one even his indomitable friend, Win, thinks is impossible. But if they don't, the unthinkable will happen. They need the bnolar's help but can Cyraria's indigenous race be trusted? With Integrator forces closing in on world domination, if the caverns' secret gets out the Brightstars won't be the only ones who are doomed. But if the dream Dirck and Creena share plays out the consequences will be even worse.
Cyraria is a hostile world with weather extremes beyond imagination. With Opposition, the worst portion of the heat season on the way, Dirck Brightstar and his father, Laren take on the challenge of modifying their primitive shelter to withstand the hostile environment in what is rapidly becoming a dystopian nightmare. Their attempt to build a heat exchanger (air conditioner) to maintain a survivable temperature is interrupted when Laren is arrested in a midnight raid and incarcerated as a political prisoner as a part of Augustus Troy's Integration recruiting efforts. Dirck is thus left on his own to fend for his family, more separated now than ever before. His friend, Win, proves to be a valuable ally though his little brother, Deven, becomes the real hero thanks to his strange alliance with an indigenous race known as the bnolar.Creena, another family member separated from the family in a previous incident, experiences increasing trouble as well when she and her 'troid, Aggie and vegemal, Thyron, land on a planet seeking a more capable vehicle for the trip back to the family's homeworld, Mira III, to obtain assistance. Their efforts are thwarted when authorities impound their ship and separate them as targets for government scrutiny and investigation. Creena's options are severely limited and further complicated by Integrator attempts to abduct her, the evil purpose of which she can sense but doesn't understand. With no other choice but to adapt to a primitive and alien lifestyle until her situation is resolved, when it finally comes time to leave she discovers she's grown more attached to this backward world than she ever thought possible.[NOTE:--Readers with a strong interest in science will particularly enjoy these stories in which the author demonstrates numerous scientific principles and their importance through entertaining plot action. This is Volume II of the Star Trails Tetralogy. Enjoying this episode does not depend on reading Volume I.]
