LINKS
to Websites on Astronomy, Prehistory,
Archaeoastronomy and UFOs
Compiled by Martin J. Powell
There are many thousands of websites relating to the subject areas covered by the Aenigmatis website. The following sites provide good information in their respective subject areas, and most will be found to contain many links to other sites. They are listed here in alphabetical order within each category; all sites will open in a new window.
Click on the required subject to be taken directly to the relevant site links:
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Astronomy magazine was first published in 1973 and is America’s best-selling astronomy magazine. The website has the latest astronomical news, sky charts, observing tips, a multitude of astronomical site links and a discussion forum. |
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Astronomical information from a British perspective. "For more than 10 years, 'Astronomy Now' magazine has provided a monthly source of information for amateur and professional astronomers alike. It is the UK's best-selling astronomy magazine. |
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This site provides a resource through which observers with an artistic leaning can showcase their astronomical sketches, seen through telescopes, binoculars or with the naked-eye. In a world now dominated by digital imagery, the site demonstrates the continuing value of astronomical sketches. Sketching encourages the observer to look for fine detail in astronomical objects whilst adding a personal touch to the observing experience; it is where science and art meet. A commentary by each observer-artist compliments each sketch. |
The BAA was founded in 1890, and since that time it has served to "encourage amateur astronomy through meetings, sectional groups and its publications." This page links to all of its sections, which cover specific astronomical subjects. Includes news of the latest discoveries, photographs and detailed ephemerides. |
The ultimate resource for online information about eclipses, both solar and lunar. Detailed data and descriptions for eclipses past, present and future, plus maps showing both world and local circumstances of the eclipse shadow tracks. Espenak is based at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Run by Chris Peat, the site's main attraction is its ability to predict the visibility times of bright artificial satellites (and the Space Shuttle) for any location on the globe. Simply input your latitude and longitude (or select a city from the list) and the times of visibility are calculated. Also includes star charts, current planet/comet/asteroid position charts, and more. |
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The Hubble Space Telescope was put into orbit in 1990. This page has links to some 400 beautiful images of black holes, galaxies, star clusters, nebulae and other objects taken by the telescope over the last decade. Run by the Space Telescope Science Institute. |
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"To improve life here, To extend life to there, To find life beyond." The world's premiere space exploration agency has over 4 million pages to search through! NASA TV broadcasts real-time programmes relating to space missions, with science briefings, news conferences, agency staff interviews etc. Options are available for Public, Media and Education Channels. |
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SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) utilises radio telescopes in the hope of detecting intelligently-controlled signals from space. In 1999 a special project was launched that allowed home computer users to analyse actual data from the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico. Since that time, some 3.8 million people world-wide have signed up to the project. Read more about it and download the software from this site. |
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The first edition of Sky & Telescope magazine appeared in 1940. The website has the latest astronomical news, sky charts, observing tips and a multitude of astronomical site links. It also has an online shop. |
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BBC Television's The Sky At Night was first screened in April 1957. Since then the programme has been broadcast almost every month, presented by the late Sir Patrick Moore. During this time the programme has covered just about every astronomical topic and has featured many of the world's leading astronomers. The BBC launched the monthly Sky At Night magazine in June 2005. Patrick was a prolific writer whose books influenced two generations of astronomers, both amateur and professional. He died in December 2012, aged 89. Asteroid number 2602 was named in his honour, while in 2007 the International Astronomical Union (IAU) gave asteroid 57424 the name Caelumnoctu (Latin for 'Sky At Night') to commemorate the programme's 50th anniversary. Patrick's life and work is described on Wikipedia. |
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Run by Mark Garlick, a former astronomer and now a science writer and illustrator. A collection of beautiful, atmospheric art in acrylic, airbrush and digital formats. Earthscapes, starscapes, nebulous scenes and more, from an artist whose works have also appeared on the covers of Sky & Telescope and Asimov's Science Fiction magazines. Each image is accompanied by an educational caption. Also available in French. |
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A sister-site to the UK's Astronomy Now magazine. With breaking news, a worldwide launch schedule, a news archive and an online store. The 'Features' page includes a photo gallery and information on all Space Shuttle missions. |
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By astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell. The Space Report ("JSR") is an online bulletin issued about twice a month, describing all space launches of both piloted missions and automated satellites. Back issues can be read online, and a free weekly e-mail subscription service is also available. Includes a satellite catalog, a launch log and details of geostationary satellites. |
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This nicely-presented interactive site features recordings of radio waves (converted into sound waves) of numerous celestial bodies, as recorded by passing spacecraft and Earthbound radio telescopes. Sounds include the 'heartbeat' of the Sun, the rings of Saturn, the magnetosphere of Jupiter and its moon Ganymede, the Vela pulsar, the sound of cosmic debris and the remnants of the Big Bang. The sounds can also be downloaded from the site (as ZIP or SIT files) along with beautiful space art for your desktop by Californian artist David Palermo. Includes communication clips from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Shuttle missions. The sounds are enhanced by nicely-executed animations of the celestial bodies in question. Sound recordings of the stars HR3831, Xi-Hydrae and a white dwarf in Centaurus can be heard at World Science. |
Prehistory |
This site provides a wealth of information for anyone wishing to know the latest archaeological news in Britain. Includes features, essays, comments, letters and book reviews. Use the search facility to find previous items on specific topics. A printed version of their monthly magazine British Archaeology is available on subscription. |
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A collaboration between the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust and the universities at Bangor, Aberystwyth and Manchester Metropolitan, HeritageTogether aims to provide alternative views of ancient Welsh heritage, with the help of local communities. Enthusiasts upload photographs of ancient sites taken from different angles, from which photorealistic digital 3D models are created using a process called photogrammetry. The models can be rotated, zoomed and viewed from any angle - the closest thing to visiting the site in person! The project ultimately aims to digitally capture all of the standing stones and burial cairns across Wales. |
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There are currently over 50 hill figures scattered across Britain, dating from prehistoric times through to the present day. Many others are now lost. Run by Mark Hows, who has been involved in the construction and restoration of several figures, this comprehensive site includes every hill figure ever known. Includes photos, location maps, figure histories, construction details, a table of hill figure dimensions and a page on their possible celestial interpretations. |
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Run by Andy Burnham, Ringmaster and creator of the popular Stone Circle Webring. The Portal is an extensive website with photographs of prehistoric sites, discussion forums, megalithic news items, books, an online shop and a chat room. Also be sure to look at The Megalithic Map, which was produced in association with archaeologist and stone circle expert Aubrey Burl. |
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By Maggie and Keith Davison. This impressive site covers sites in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Channel Islands and Malta. Includes over 5,000 high-quality photographs, with VR panoramas, infra-red images and in some cases, 3-D images (parallel-view and 'wobblevision'). Each site has a detailed description, with 10-figure grid references, site dimensions, GPS measurement information and details of whether any magnetic anomalies were detected during the couple's visit to the sites. |
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MRW was founded by Jason Freeman and Nicola Hill in 2004 with the aim of producing an Internet index of the prehistoric megalithic sites in Wales. The sites are listed alphabetically; each entry includes photographs, a site description, directions to the site, accessibility information (with access rating) and a site impact rating. Wherever a legend or a folk story is attached to the site, this is detailed. Also includes a dictionary of archaeological terms, a list of recommended reading and links to other megalithic websites. "Documenting the lesser known megaliths and monoliths of Wales." |
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Did you know that the Heel Stone at Stonehenge is estimated to weigh 40 tonnes? Or that it would have taken about 10 years to drag all of the sarsen stones to the monument site? Or that Charles Darwin visited the site in 1877 to investigate the behaviour of earthworms? These facts and many more can be found at StonehengeFacts.net, which aims to provide an up-to-date and quick reference source on the subject. Richly illustrated, StonehengeFacts.net includes a comprehensive history and timeline of the stone circle and its environs, with facts about the stones comprising the circle, its builders and its construction. It is an ideal resource for historical researchers and for those who are simply seeking the known (and lesser-known) data on Britain's most famous ancient monument. |
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Run by Julian Cope, a former member of the rock band The Teardrop Explodes and a solo artist since 1983. With contributions from hundreds of megalithic explorers, the site has photographs of prehistoric sites, fieldnotes, a "Technicolour Map Browser", a discussion forum and a page of recommended links to websites with prehistoric content. |
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Founded as the Prehistoric Society of East Anglia in 1908, its current name was adopted in 1935. The society publishes annual Proceedings and has a topical newsletter called PAST. The website includes previous issues of the newsletter, plus news of upcoming lectures, tours and events. |
Archaeoastronomy |
Founded in 1978 at the University of Maryland to advance the research, education and public awareness of archaeoastronomy. The Center publishes a journal Archaeoastronomy: The Journal of Astronomy in Culture. The site includes an introduction to the subject and a page of links to archaeoastronomy sites worldwide. |
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Details the prehistoric passage-tombs of Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth, Tara, Fourknocks, Loughcrew and other sites in the County of Meath in Eastern Ireland. A particular emphasis is made on the astronomical alignments contained within these monuments. Includes articles and tourist information links, a page on artwork inspired by megalithic sites and details of books on prehistoric Ireland. Run by Michael Fox. |
With detailed, illustrated pages covering Horizon Astronomy, the Megalithic Calendar, Megalithic Mensuration and Megalithic Mathematics. The site considers astronomical alignments towards hill foresights from various prehistoric sites in Mid and North Wales. The alignment claims are supported by sunrise/sunset photographs and video recordings taken by the authors. Although several of these pictures are mocked up, they do provide compelling illustrations of how the sites may have functioned in prehistoric times. Also features some sites in England, Scotland and India. By Tony Ropper, Logan Crerar et al. |
Established in 1971, Science History Publications specialises in publishing journals on the history of science and astronomy. From 1979 to 2002, the journal Archaeoastronomy was published annually as a supplement to the Journal for The History of Astronomy, which is available on subscription. Contents of all issues since 1979 are listed (title and author) and a sample journal can be downloaded, in PDF format. |
UFOs |
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Founded in the 1960s, BUFORA describes its main aim as being "to encourage, promote and conduct unbiased scientific research of UFO phenomena throughout the UK." The site includes articles, events, details of its publications and a downloadable UFO sighting report form. |
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CUFOS comprises "an international group of scientists, academics, investigators and volunteers dedicated to examining the UFO phenomenon." It was set up in 1973 by professor of astronomy Dr J Allen Hynek, who also served as a consultant to the US Air Force's Project Blue Book investigation into UFOs in the 1950s and 60s. The site has articles, FAQs, selected UFO reports, historical reviews and a downloadable UFO sighting report form. |
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Diego Cuoghi takes a skeptical view on the interpretation of 'UFO-like' images in ancient works of art. The site is not anti-UFOlogy, but is a response to those websites which publish ancient art reproductions without a full understanding of their meaning and their historical context. The site is extensively illustrated with similar contemporary paintings, which point to the most likely explanations of the 'UFO-like' images. Also available in Italian, French and Portuguese. "ART and UFOs? No thanks, only Art ..." |
A site which will intrigue science-fiction fans, researchers into popular culture and anyone interested in the history of UFO publications through the decades, this site includes many books and other items that display images of flying saucers and/or extraterrestrial aliens on the cover. Publications are listed in chronological order by category (book/magazine/comic, etc). Readers can submit their own UFO-related images via e-mail to the website's authors (Jim Klotz and Les Treece-Sinclair) for possible inclusion in the collection. The site also has sections on the history of UFO Merchandising and historical UFO Toys. |
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The world's largest civilian UFO research organisation, MUFON describes its mission as "the systematic collection and analysis of UFO data, with the ultimate goal of learning the origin and nature of the UFO phenomenon." With news, weekly database reports (giving comparative tables of UFO reports), links to MUFON's regional sites, and a UFO Investigator's Manual. |
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The site has news, recent worldwide UFO sighting reports, a news archive and book reviews. |
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Google's own visual representation of recent UFO sightings (predominantly in the USA) draws its data from the National UFO Reporting Center and from UFO Evidence. As well as the standard (labelled) map, it includes a 3-D globe version which can be rotated by dragging the mouse. Click on the displayed UFO icon to call up information on the sighting (the records presently appear to go back to about 1999). UFO Maps can also be embedded into your own website by copying and pasting the supplied HTML code (see under 'Google Gadgets'). Google UFO Maps is a mapping project produced by Poly9 Group Inc., based in Quebec City, Canada. "Sighting reports, as they happen." |
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The Paranormal and UFO Search Engine. Listings by category to over 57,000 websites relating to unknown phenomena. |
Aviation |
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"The ultimate source for defence. aerospace and transportation information." Includes the latest defence news and developments, plus links to all their various publications and international sites. |
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Perhaps the ultimate resource for pilots and aviation enthusiasts. The site has hundreds of links, sorted by category. Links to aviation news, weather, pilot jobs, flight planning tools, airport and airline information, aircraft information and image archives, aviation organisations worldwide, registration listings and much more! |
Personal Music Favourites |
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A useful resource for information on music of all types and of all cultures. Search for information on musicians, composers, bands, songs or albums. The site gives historical details, biographies, discographies and selected album reviews. |
In the following section, the dates shown in brackets for the YouTube videos are those of the original composition and/or release of the LP/CD and not necessarily the date of the actual video performance |
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A German avant-garde rock band in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, their music has subsequently influenced many artists in the rock music world. The band split in 1978 and the three remaining members continue with solo projects (lead guitarist Michael Karoli died in 2001). The site has news of solo projects, a discography, a history of the band, photos, concert dates and sample audio and video (RealPlayer required). Selected YouTube Videos: From 'Tago Mago' (1971): Mushroom - Halleluwah - Bring Me Coffee or Tea / From 'Ege Bamyasi' (1972): I'm So Green - Spoon / From 'Unlimited Edition' (1976): I'm Too Liese / I Want More / From 'Saw Delight' (1977): Don't Say No |
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Official site of the internationally-renowned musician, who became famous following the release of his album Tubular Bells in 1973. The site has news, a biography, discography, tourography, FAQs and a downloadable copy of his fanzine, Dark Star, in PDF format. Selected YouTube Videos: Tubular Bells 1 - 2 - 3 (1973) / Ommadawn 1 - 2 - 3 (1975) / In Dulci Jubilo (1975) / Incantations (1978) / From 'Five Miles Out' (1982): Taurus II / From 'Discovery' (1984): To France - Tricks of the Light / From 'Islands' (1987): North Point / From 'The Songs of Distant Earth' (1994): Hibernaculum |
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Official website of the prolific modern composer of the so-called 'minimalist' genre. The site has a biography, discography, interviews and a photo gallery. Be sure to take a look at the Glass Engine, produced by IBM, which plays clips of over 60 Glass works using a unique interface. Selected YouTube Videos: From 'Einstein on the Beach' (1976): Train/Spaceship 1 - 2 / From 'The Photographer' (1982): A Gentleman's Honor / Anima Mundi (1992) / Naqoyqatsi (film score, 2002) / Performed by Branka Parlic: Opening (from 'Glassworks') / Mad Rush Pt 1 (1979) / Metamorphosis Pt 1 (1988) / The Hours (film score, 2002) |
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A member of the Japanese techno-pop band Yellow Magic Orchestra in the late 1970s/early 80s and then a solo musician, composer and actor. The site has a biography, discography, filmography and a chronology of his work. Selected YMO YouTube Videos: From 'Yellow Magic Orchestra' (1978): Firecracker - La Femme Chinoise / From 'Solid State Survivor' (1979): Technopolis - Rydeen - Solid State Survivor / From 'BGM' (1981): Camouflage / From 'Naughty Boys' (1983): Kimi ni mune kyun / Human Audio Sponge (YMO reunited, 2007) Selected Ryuichi Sakamoto YouTube Videos: Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence (film score, 1983) / From 'The Last Emperor' (film score, 1987): Theme Tune / From 'Neo Geo' (1987): Okinawa Song / From 'Heartbeat' (1992): Heartbeat - Triste - Sayonara / From 'Smoochy' (1996): Bibo No Aozora - Aishiteru, Aishitenai - Tango - Rio |
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One of the archetypal composers of the 'minimalist' genre to emerge in the 1960s, Steve Reich has been touring extensively with his ensemble since that time. His website has news, a biography, discography, concert information and articles. The first part of his classic piece Music for 18 Musicians can be downloaded from the site, in MP3 format. Selected YouTube Videos: Piano Phase (1967) / Drumming Pt 1 (1971) / Clapping Music (1972) / Music for 18 Musicians (rehearsal) (1976) / Eight Lines 1 - 2 (1979) / Sextet 1 - 2 (1985) / New York Counterpoint (1985) / Electric Counterpoint (1987) / Different Trains (1988) / Nagoya Marimbas (rehearsal) (1994) |
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Official website of the German electronic group, who influenced the international electronic music scene since their formation in 1967. The site has a discography of their many dozens of albums (where clips of selected tracks can be heard), pictures, Q&As and interviews. Tangerine Dream's founding member Edgar Froese died in January 2015, effectively ending the band's 48-year period of musical innovation. Selected YouTube Videos: Ricochet 1 - 2 (Coventry Cathedral, 1975) / Rubycon 1 - 2 (1975) / From 'Exit' (1981): Kiew Mission / From 'Underwater Sunlight' (1986): Ride On The Ray / From 'Melrose' (1990): Melrose - Dolls In the Shadows / Linda Spa & TD 1 - 2 / From '220 Volt Live' (1993): Purple Haze (Hendrix cover, live) / Oriental Haze (Live in London, 2005) / Live in Berlin (2006) / Madcap's Flaming Duty (excerpt, live in London, 2007) / Brian May and Tangerine Dream (Starmus Festival, Tenerife, 2011) |
A big thanks to all the YouTube users who took the time and trouble to upload these videos!
Hale-Bopp:
The Great Comet of 1997
Stereoscopic
(3-D) Photographs
Trindade
Island UFO Photos (1958)
Archaeoastronomy
in South Wales
Copyright Martin J Powell 2003 - 2017
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