Earth and Space News

Friday, October 25, 2019

Ajanta Cave 5: 200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings

Summary: Geological flaws and sculpted doors are attributes of Ajanta cave 5 in the 200th anniversary year of Ajanta cave wall paintings in central-west India.

Ajanta cave 5 appeals to academic and non-academic audiences in the 200th anniversary year of European-accessed Ajanta cave wall paintings in north-central Maharashtra, central-west India, as an abandoned cavern with geological flaws.

Geologic flaws in horizontal layers of the volcanic basalt rock of the Waghora (from Sanskrit व्याघ्र, "tiger") River bend glen cliffs barred building Ajanta cave 5. They challenged second-phase construction 1,300 to 1,600 years ago of Ajanta cave 5 and eastern neighbor, Ajanta cave 4, without compromising western neighbor, Ajanta cave 6. They deceptively and superficially date Ajanta cave 5, whose numerical designation defers to fifth dwelling from the upper east end and does not denote fifth-earliest excavation.

Ajanta cave 5 enters the 200th anniversary year of European-accessed Ajanta cave wall paintings and sculptures as a vihara (from Sanskrit विहार, "walking [hall]") monastery cavern.

Finished vihara monastery caves from the first-phase third through first centuries B.C. and the second-phase fifth through sixth, seventh or eighth centuries furnished stone-pillowed, stone-carved beds.

The 30-cavern, 1,968.5-foot- (600-meter-) long, 1,300- to 2,300-year-old Ajanta Caves groups vihara monastery caves amid chaitya (from Sanskrit चैत्य, "funeral mound, pedestal, pile") prayer hall caverns. Live-in monks and seasonal artisans, merchants and monks honed devotional, instructive walking meditations along the chaitya caves' pradakshina (from Sanskrit प्रदक्षिण, "to the right turning") aisles. Their itineraries included first-phase Ajanta chaitya caves 9 and 10 and second-phase chaitya caves 19 and 26 and never involved incomplete, second-phase Ajanta chaitya cave 29.

The flawed geology of the Sahyadri (from Sanskrit सह्याद्रि, "benevolent") Hills still jeopardizes Ajanta cave 5 in the 200th anniversary year of Ajanta cave wall paintings.

The 33.86-foot- (10.32-meter-) long and 55.12-foot- (16.8-meter-) wide Ajanta cave 5 keeps low architectural, painted, sculpted profiles between larger, painted, sculpted Ajanta caves 4 and 6.

Walter M. Spink, University of Michigan Emeritus Professor of Art History in Ann Arbor since 2001, links Ajanta cave 5 and its neighbor chronologically and geologically. Political rivalry between Asmaka kings and Vākātaka emperors over Ajanta subkings perhaps meant Asmaka itinerant artisanry in 475 inconsistent with Vākātaka itinerant artisanry 10 years earlier. Construction styles and stone-cut inscriptions necessitate Professor Spink's noting woodworking influences on first-phase artisanship between 90 and 70 B.C. and stone-cutting inexperience between 460 and 480.

Ajanta cave 5 offers the 200th anniversary year of European-accessed Ajanta cave wall paintings and sculptures an opulently carved door frame not overshadowed by its neighbors.

Ajanta cave 4 and Ajanta cave 5 respectively possess sculpted gandharva (from Sanskrit गन्धर्व, "bard") celestial nymphs and sculpted apsara (from Sanskrit अप्सरस्, "flowing water") nymphs.

Hindu mythological nymphs quest the sensual pleasures that Gautama Buddha (from Sanskrit गोतम, "darkness-dispelled light" and बुद्ध, "awakened) quotes as quickening life's suffering "vale of tears." Sculpted apsara nymphs from Rama's dancing, singing retinue ride the antelope-legged, deer-headed Hindu mythological monster fish Makara (from Sanskrit मकर, "sea monster") in Ajanta cave 5. Makara and Rama (from Sanskrit राम, "dark, pleasing") respectively serve as vehicle for ocean overlord Varuna (from Sanskrit वरुण, "ocean, water") and as god of love.

The 200th anniversary year of European-accessed Ajanta cave wall paintings teams Ajanta cave 5 with Ajanta cave 4 for carved doorways, geological flaws and sculpted nymphs.

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

entrance of Ajanta Cave 5, an unfinished cave; Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra, central-west India; Wednesday, March 8, 2017, 01:41: Photo Dharma from Sadao, Thailand (Anandajoti Bhikkhu), CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:068_Cave_5,_Entrance_(34123199412).jpg;
Anandajoti Bhikkhu (anandajoti), CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/anandajoti/34123199412/

interior of Ajanta Cave 5, an unfinished cave; Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra, central-west India; Wednesday, March 8, 2017, 01:41: Photo Dharma from Sadao, Thailand (Anandajoti Bhikkhu), CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:069_Cave_5,_Unfinished_Excavation_(34123189482).jpg;
Anandajoti Bhikkhu (anandajoti), CC BY 2.0 Generic, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/anandajoti/34123189482/

For further information:

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"Ajanta Caves Vulnerable to Landslides, Says Study." NDTV > India > News > August 6, 2014 15:50 IST.
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Burgess, J. (James). 1879. "Notes on the Bauddha Rock-Temples of Ajanta, Their Paintings and Sculptures, and on the Paintings of the Bagh Caves, Modern Bauddha Mythology, &c." Archaeological Society of Western India, no. 9. Bombay, India: Government Central Press.
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Fergusson, James. 1845. Illustrations of the Rock-Cut Temples of India: Text to Accompany the Folio Volume of Plates. London, England.
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Fergusson, James. 1845. Illustrations of the Rock-Cut Temples of India: Selected From the Best Examples of the Different Series of Caves at Ellora, Ajunta, Cuttack, Salsette, Karli, and Mahavellipore. Drawn on Stone by Mr. T.C. Dibdin, From Sketches Carefully Made on the Spot, With the Assistance of the Camera-Lucida, in the Years 1838-9. London, England: John Weale, M.DCCC.XLV.
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Gill, Robert; and James Fergusson. 1864. One Hundred Stereoscopic Illustrations of Architecture and Natural History in Western India. Photographed by Major Gill and described by James Fergusson. London, England: Cundall, Downes & Co.

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Marriner, Derdriu. 18 October 2019. "Ajanta Cave 4: 200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/ajanta-cave-4-200th-anniversary-year-of.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 11 October 2019. "200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings: Ajanta Cave 22." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave_11.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 4 October 2019. "200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings: Ajanta Cave 20." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 27 September 2019. "Ajanta Cave 23: 200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/ajanta-cave-23-200th-anniversary-year.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 20 September 2019. "Ajanta Cave 21: 200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/ajanta-cave-21-200th-anniversary-year.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 13 September 2019. "Ajanta Cave 15: 200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/ajanta-cave-15-200th-anniversary-year.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 6 September 2019. "200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings: Ajanta Cave 7." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 30 August 2019. "Mandana Wall Paintings: 200th Anniversary of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/08/mandana-wall-paintings-200th.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 23 August 2019. "Warli Wall Paintings: 200th Anniversary of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/08/warli-wall-paintings-200th-anniversary.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 16 August 2019. "200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings: Ajanta Cave 11." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/08/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 9 August 2019. "Ajanta Cave 6: 200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/08/ajanta-cave-6-200th-anniversary-year-of.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 2 August 2019. "200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings: Ajanta Cave 18." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/08/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave_2.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 26 July 2019. "Ajanta Cave 25: 200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/07/ajanta-cave-25-200th-anniversary-year.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 19 July 2019. "Thich Nhat Hanh Achieved at An Quang the Aims of Ajanta Jataka Tales." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/07/thich-nhat-hanh-achieved-at-quang-aims.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 12 July 2019. "Engaged Buddhism of Thich Nhat Hanh Allies With Ajanta Jataka Tales." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/07/engaged-buddhism-of-thich-nhat-hanh.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 5 July 2019. “Thich Nhat Hanh and Indra's Net at Parallax Press and Ajanta Cave 17.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/07/thich-nhat-hanh-and-indras-net-at.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 28 June 2019. “Thich Nhat Hanh, La Boi and Ajanta Cave 16 Ace Outstanding Inner Peace.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/06/thich-nhat-hanh-la-boi-and-ajanta-cave.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 21 June 2019. “Thich Nhat Hanh and Indra's Net at Van Hanh and Ajanta Cave 1.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/06/thich-nhat-hanh-and-indras-net-at-van.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 14 June 2019. “Indra's Net Affects Thich Nhat Hanh, Phap Van and Ajanta Cave 2.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/06/indras-net-affects-thich-nhat-hanh-phap.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 7 June 2019. "Thich Nhat Hanh, Indra's Net at Phuong Boi and Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/06/thich-nhat-hanh-indras-net-at-phuong.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 31 May 2019. "Thich Nhat Hanh, Indra's Net at Bat Nha and Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/05/thich-nhat-hanh-indras-net-at-bat-nha.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 24 May 2019. “Thich Nhat Hanh, Stream Entering Monastery and Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/05/thich-nhat-hanh-stream-entering.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 17 May 2019. “Thich Nhat Hanh, Thai Plum Village and Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/05/thich-nhat-hanh-thai-plum-village-and.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 10 May 2019. “Thich Nhat Hanh, AIAB Hong Kong and Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/05/thich-nhat-hanh-aiab-hong-kong-and.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 3 May 2019. “Thich Nhat Hanh, EIAB Germany and Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/05/thich-nhat-hanh-eiab-germany-and-ajanta.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 26 April 2019. “Thich Nhat Hanh, Deer Park Monastery and Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/04/thich-nhat-hanh-deer-park-monastery-and.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 19 April 2019. “Thich Nhat Hanh, Blue Cliff Monastery and Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/04/thich-nhat-hanh-blue-cliff-monastery.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 12 April 2019. “Thich Nhat Hanh, Plum Village Tradition and Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/04/thich-nhat-hanh-plum-village-tradition.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 5 April 2019. “Thich Nhat Hanh, Tu Hieu Temple Walks and Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/04/thich-nhat-hanh-tu-hieu-temple-walks.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 29 March 2019. "Thich Nhat Hanh, Walking Meditations and Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings." Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/03/thich-nhat-hanh-walking-meditations-and.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 22 March 2019. “200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings: Ajanta Cave 13.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/03/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave_22.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 15 March 2019. “200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings: Ajanta Cave 12.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/03/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 8 March 2019. “200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings: Ajanta Cave 8.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/03/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave_8.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 1 March 2019. “200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings: Ajanta Cave 15A/30.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/03/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave_1.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 22 February 2019. “200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings: Pithora Wall Art.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/02/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 15 February 2019. “200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings: Ajanta Cave 29.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/02/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave_15.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 8 February 2019. “Ajanta Cave 26 in 200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/02/ajanta-cave-26-in-200th-anniversary.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 1 February 2019. “Ajanta Cave 19 in 200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/02/ajanta-cave-19-in-200th-anniversary.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 25 January 2019. “200th Anniversary Year of Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings in Ajanta Cave 9.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/01/200th-anniversary-year-of-ajanta-cave.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 18 January 2019. “Ancient Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings and Inscriptions in Ajanta Cave 10.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/01/ancient-ajanta-cave-wall-paintings-and.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 11 January 2019. “Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings Ailing at World Heritage Centre Site.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/01/ajanta-cave-wall-paintings-ailing-at.html

Marriner, Derdriu. 4 January 2019. “Accurate, Ancient, Artistic Ajanta Cave Wall Paintings to Buddha.” Earth and Space News. Friday.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/01/accurate-ancient-artistic-ajanta-cave.html

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Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Star Hopping South of Markab Leads to Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 7479

Summary: Star hopping south of Markab leads to barred spiral galaxy NGC 7479, discovered Oct. 19, 1784, by Uranus discoverer Sir William Herschel.

Alpha Pegasi, known traditionally as Markab, serves as a reliable guide for star hopping to the area of the sky for finding barred spiral galaxy NGC 7479: RobertBurnhamJr @RobertBurnhamJr, via Twitter Oct. 28, 2018

Star hopping south of Markab leads to barred spiral galaxy NGC 7479, discovered Oct. 19, 1784, by Uranus discoverer Sir William Herschel and observed over four decades later by Sir William’s son, English polymath Sir John Herschel.

NGC 7479 claims Pegasus the Winged Horse as parent constellation. Constellation Pegasus lies in the Northern Celestial Hemisphere. The Winged Horse’s southern border approaches the celestial equator by about two degrees.

Star hopping is a technique for locating celestial objects in the night sky. The strategy entails using bright stars and asterisms (recognizable patterns of stars) as guides for celestial objects that are faint or that require binoculars or telescopes.

The star hop to NGC 7479 involves the naked eye visibility of bright star Markab. NGC 7479 is located in south central Pegasus. Astronomy magazine senior editor Michael E. Bakich identifies NGC 7479’s location as 2.9 degrees south of Markab. Star hopping south of Markab leads to NGC 7479.

Alpha Pegasi (α Pegasi; Alpha Peg, α Peg) bears the traditional name of Markab. The traditional name either derives from the Arabic phrase for “saddle of the horse” or represents a mistranscription of “shoulder of the horse.” The International Astronomical Union approved Markab June 30, 2016, as Alpha Pegasi’s official proper name.

Markab shines as the third brightest star in Pegasus the Winged Horse constellation. Markab has an apparent visual magnitude of 2.49. The fairly rapidly spinning star qualifies as “just barely second magnitude,” according to University of Illinois Professor Emeritus James B. “Jim” Kaler.

Markab participates in the quartet that forms the Great Square of Pegasus asterism, or recognizable pattern of stars. The quartet comprises three stars from constellation Pegasus and one star from the Winged Horse’s northeastern neighbor, Andromeda the Chained Princess constellation. Markab occupies the southwestern corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.

Astronomy magazine senior editor Michael E. Bakich describes NGC 7479 as a “showpiece galaxy through a large scope.” A low power scope reveals the central bulge that surrounds the galaxy’s bright core as well as NGC 7479’s north-to-south elongated bar. Bakich recommends the spiral arm at the bar’s south end as the best feature of NGC 7479.

The barred spiral galaxy now known as NGC 7479 appears as entry I-55 in Sir William Herschel’s Catalogue of One Thousand New Nebulae and Clusters of Stars, published in 1786. Sir William’s designation reveals his discovery as object number 55 in Sir William’s category of “Firſt claſs. Bright nebulae.”

The nomenclature of NGC 7479 for Sir William’s I-55 derives from the New General Catalogue, published in 1888 by Danish-Irish astronomer John Louis Emil Dreyer (Feb. 13, 1852-Sept. 14, 1926). Dreyer’s catalogue assigned NGC (New General Catalogue) numbers to its compilation of discoveries and observations by Sir William Herschel (Nov. 15, 1738-Aug. 25, 1822); his astronomer sister Caroline Herschel (March 16, 1750-Jan. 9, 1848); his son, Sir John Herschel (March 7, 1792-May 11, 1871); and other observational astronomers.

Equatorial coordinates are the celestial equivalent of terrestrial coordinates. Equatorial coordinates are expressed as right ascension, the celestial equivalent of terrestrial longitude, and as declination, the celestial equivalent of terrestrial latitude. Equatorial coordinates for NGC 7479 are right ascension 23 hours 04 minutes 49.61 seconds and declination plus 12 degrees 20 minutes 37.3 seconds (epoch J2000.0), according to NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED).

Alpha Pegasi bears the Hipparcos designation of HIP 113963. Alpha Pegasi’s Hipparcos designation reflects its participation in The European Space Agency’s Hipparcos (High Precision Parallax Collecting Satellite) space astrometry mission, which operated from 1989 to 1993. The Hipparcos Catalogue, released in June 1997, presented precise astrometric data collected by the scientific satellite for 118,218 stars.

Equatorial coordinates for HIP 113963 are right ascension 23 hours 04 minutes 45.654 seconds and declination plus 13 degrees 12 minutes 18.96 seconds, according to Hubble Legacy Archive (HLA). Hubble Legacy Archive is an online project of Hubble products jointly administered by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), the Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility (ST-ECF) and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre (CADC).

The takeaway for star hopping south of Markab to reach barred spiral galaxy NGC 7479 is that Markab shines as the third brightest star in Pegasus the Winged Horse constellation and participates in the prominent Great Square of Pegasus asterism.

Discovered by Uranus discoverer Sir William Herschel in October 1784, NGC 7479 lies 2.9 degrees south of second magnitude star Markab (Alpha Pegasi) in Pegasus the Winged Horse constellation: RobertBurnhamJr @RobertBurnhamJr, via Twitter Oct. 28, 2018

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Allen, Richard Hinckley. Star-Names and Their Meanings. New York NY; Leipzig, Germany; London, England; Paris, France: G.E. Stechert, 1899.
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/starnamesandthe00allegoog/

Bratton, Mark. The Complete Guide to the Herschel Objects: Sir William Herschel’s Star Clusters, Nebulae and Galaxies. Cambridge, UK; New York NY; Melbourne, Australia; Madrid, Spain; Cape Town, South Africa; Singapore; São Paulo, Brazil; Delhi, India; Tokyo, Japan; Mexico City, Mexico: Cambridge University Press, 2011.

Dreyer, J.L.E. (John Louis Emil). “No. 7479.” In: “A New General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars, Being the Catalogue of the Late Sir John F.W. Herschel, Bart., Revised, Corrected, and Enlarged.” Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. XLIX, part I: 202. London, England: Royal Astronomical Society, 1888.
Available @ https://ia800501.us.archive.org/14/items/newgeneralcatalo00dreyrich/newgeneralcatalo00dreyrich.pdf
Available via HathiTrust @ https://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435078053089?urlappend=%3Bseq=208

Herschel, Sir John Frederick William. “No. 2205.” In: “Observations of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars, Made at Slough, With a Twenty-Feet Reflector, Between the Years 1825 and 1833. Received July 1, -- Read November 21, 1833.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, vol. 123 (1833): 475.
Available via JSTOR @ https://www.jstor.org/stable/108003?seq=117#metadata_info_tab_contents

Herschel, Sir John Frederick William. “No. of Catalogue: 4892.” In: “Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars. Received October 16, -- Read November 19, 1863.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. For the Year MDCCCLXIV [1864]. Vol. 154: 134. London, England: Taylor and Francis, MDCCCLXV (1865).
Available via Biodiversity Heritage Library (Natural History Museum Library, London) @ https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/54093297
Available via JSTOR @ https://www.jstor.org/stable/108864?seq=134#metadata_info_tab_contents

Herschel, William. “I-55.” In: “Catalogue of One Thousand New Nebulae and Clusters of Stars. Read April 27, 1786.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, vol. LXXVI, part II (1786): 472. London, England: Lockyer Davis and Peter Elmsly, Printers to The Royal Society, MDCCLXXXVI.
Available via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48283828
Available via JSTOR @ https://www.jstor.org/stable/106639?seq=16#metadata_info_tab_contents

Kaler, James B. (Jim). “Markab (Alpha Pegasi).” University of Illinois Astronomy Department > Star of the Week.
Available @ http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/markab.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Alpheratz Links Andromeda the Chained Princess With Pegasus the Winged Horse.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/11/alpheratz-links-andromeda-chained.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Five Star Circlet of Pisces Asterism Is Below Great Square of Pegasus.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/10/five-star-circlet-of-pisces-asterism-is.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Globular Cluster NGC 5634 Lies Midway Between Iota and Mu Virginis.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/08/cassiopeia-queen-constellation-true.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Great Square of Pegasus Asterism Has Four Second Magnitude Stars.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/10/great-square-of-pegasus-asterism-has.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Herschel Crater Hosts Eight Satellites in South Central Lunar Near Side." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2011/08/herschel-crater-hosts-eight-satellites.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Lunar Crater Herschel Honors German-British Astronomer William Herschel." Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2011.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2011/08/lunar-crater-herschel-honors-german.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Sir John Herschel Observed NGC 7479 in October 1823 and October 1830.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/sir-john-herschel-observed-ngc-7479-in.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Uranus the Blue Green Ice Giant: Sideways Seventh Planet From the Sun.” Earth and Space News. Friday, March 13, 2015.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/03/uranus-blue-green-ice-giant-sideways.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Uranus Discovery 234 Years Ago on March 13, 1781, by Sir William Herschel.” Earth and Space News. Friday, March 13, 2015.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2015/03/uranus-discovery-234-years-ago-on-march.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “William Herschel Discovered Barred Spiral Galaxy NGC 7479 Oct. 19, 1784.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/william-herschel-discovered-barred.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “William Herschel Discovered Lenticular Galaxy NGC 665 Sept. 4, 1786.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/08/william-herschel-discovered-lenticular.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “William Herschel Discovered NGC 6818, Little Gem Nebula, Aug. 8, 1787.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/08/william-herschel-discovered-ngc-6818.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “William Herschel Discovered Spiral Galaxy NGC 673 Sept. 4, 1786.” Earth and Space News. Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2016/09/north-star-pointer-constellation.html

Mullaney, James. The Herschel Objects and How to Observe Them. AST Astronomers’ Observing Guides. New York NY: Springer Science+Business Media LLC, 2007.

Mullaney, James; Wil Tirion. The Cambridge Atlas of Herschel Objects. Cambridge, England; New York NY; Melbourne, Australia; Madrid, Spain; Cape Town, South Africa; Singapore; São Paulo, Brazil; Delhi, India; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Tokyo, Japan; Mexico City: Mexico: Cambridge University Press, 2011.

O’Meara, Steve. Herschel 400 Observing Guide: How to Find and Explore 400 Star Clusters, Nebulae, and Galaxies Discovered by William and Caroline Herschel. Cambridge, England; New York NY; Melbourne, Australia; Madrid, Spain; Cape Town, South Africa; Singapore; São Paulo, Brazil: Cambridge University Press, 2007.

RobertBurnhamJr @RobertBurnhamJr. Oct 28 “Alpha Pegasi: MARKAB or MARCHAB, from the Arabian word for Saddle, though the term might also refer to a ship. The star marks the southwest corner of the "Great Square of Pegasus." Twitter. Oct. 28, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/RobertBurnhamJr/status/1056586556104957952

RobertBurnhamJr @RobertBurnhamJr. “MARKAB: Other names were 'Matn al Faras,' the Horse's Shoulder, and 'Yed Alpheras,' the Horse's Forearm. The star lies in a rather blank part of sky; the interesting spiral galaxy NGC 7479, however, will be found about 2.9° almost directly south. [Photo: https://astrob.in/367250/0/?nc= ].” Twitter. Oct. 28, 2018.
Available @ https://twitter.com/RobertBurnhamJr/status/1056619188310159360

Monday, October 21, 2019

2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Sixth Week Offers Gluck and Puccini

Summary: The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s sixth week offers Gluck and Puccini operas of Orfeo ed Euridice, La Bohème, Madama Butterfly and Turandot.

Italian director Franco Zeffirelli's set sketch for Puccini's La Bohème, Act II: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Feb. 1, 2018

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s sixth week offers Gluck and Puccini operas in continuing performances of Orfeo ed Euridice, La Bohème, Madama Butterfly and Turandot.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s sixth week does not begin until Tuesday. No performances are scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 27, or for Monday, Sept. 28.

The season’s sixth week begins with Orfeo ed Euridice by German Classical Era composer Christoph Gluck (July 2, 1714-Nov. 15, 1787). The week offers two performances of Gluck’s Greek myth-inspired opera. The week’s first performance takes place Tuesday, Oct. 29, at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The week’s second performance of Orfeo ed Euridice is slated for Friday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season premiere of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice occurred in the season’s fifth week. The revived production of Orfeo ed Euridice happened as the Metropolitan Opera’s second Sunday matinee performance of a staged opera. Orfeo ed Euridice opened Sunday, Oct. 20, at 3 p.m.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s performances of Gluck’s Greek-themed opera revive staging by Mark Morris. The American choreographer, dancer and director’s staging debuted May 2, 2007, as a new production in Met Opera’s 83rd performance of the opera.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s sixth week spotlights three operas by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924). The week’s Puccini operas appear as the first three of five Puccini operas performed in the 2019-2020 Met Opera season.

The week’s first Puccini opera is La Bohème. The Paris-themed opera’s first performance in the sixth week takes place Wednesday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m. The week’s second performance of La Bohème is slated for Saturday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season premiere of La Bohème occurred in the season’s fifth week. The debut of the revived production of La Bohème took place Friday, Oct. 25, at 7:30 p.m.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s performances of La Bohème revive staging by Franco Zeffirelli. The Italian film, opera and television director’s staging debuted Dec. 14, 1981, as a new production in Met Opera’s 823rd performance of the opera.

The sixth week’s second Puccini opera is Turandot. Puccini’s riddle-themed opera receives one performance in the 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s sixth week. The week’s performance of Turandot happens Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019, at 7:30 p.m.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season premiere of Turandot occurred in the season’s third week. The debut of the revived production of Turandot took place Thursday, Oct. 3, at 7:30 p.m.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s performances of Turandot revive staging by Franco Zeffirelli. Zeffirelli’s staging debuted March 12, 1987, as a new production in Met Opera’s 132nd performance of the opera.

The third Puccini opera performed in the 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s sixth week is Madama Butterfly. The sixth week offers one performance of Puccini’s Japan-themed opera. The week’s performance of Madama Butterfly is slated for Saturday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season premiere of Madama Butterfly occurred in the season’s third week. The debut of the revived production of Madama Butterfly took place Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s performances revive staging by Anthony Minghella (Jan. 6, 1954-March 18, 2008). The Italian film, opera and television director/producer’s staging debuted Sept. 25, 2006, as a new production in Met Opera’s 799thperformance of the opera.

The takeaways for the 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s sixth week are that the week continues performances of the opera house’s revived production of Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice; that two of the week’s Puccini operas, La Bohème and Turandot, are performed as revivals of productions directed by Franco Zeffirelli; and that the third Puccini opera, Madama Butterfly, revives Anthony Minghella’s production.

Catalan operatic tenor José Carreras sang Rodolfo to Canadian operatic soprano Teresa Stratas' Mimì in the premiere of Italian director Franco Zeffirelli's new production of Puccini's La Bohème at the Metropolitan Opera Dec. 14, 1981: Ophelia Bochy @IGOR4736, via Twitter Feb. 12, 201

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Italian director Franco Zeffirelli's set sketch for Puccini's La Bohème, Act II: The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Feb. 1, 2018, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10160070759380533/

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season Opens Monday, Sept. 23, With Porgy and Bess.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Sept. 16, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/2019-2020-met-opera-season-opens-monday.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Fifth Week Has Gluck, Massenet and Puccini.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 14, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-fifth-week.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Fourth Week Has Gershwin, Massenet and Puccini.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Oct. 7, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/10/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-fourth-week.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Second Week Has Gershwin, Puccini and Verdi.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Sept. 23, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/2019-2020-met-operas-second-week-has.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “La Bohème Is Feb. 24, 2018, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Feb. 19, 2018.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2018/02/la-boheme-is-feb-24-2018-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “2019-2020 Met Opera Season’s Third Week Has Gershwin, Massenet, Puccini, Verdi.” Earth and Space News. Monday, Sept. 30, 2019.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2019/09/2019-2020-met-opera-seasons-third-week.html

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "New during the 2019–20 season: We’re presenting 16 Sunday matinee performances, giving you more opportunities to enjoy opera on the weekend. Explore the full season: http://bit.ly/2VdNCNL. Photo by Jonathan Tichler / Met Opera." Facebook. Feb. 24, 2019.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/1099763017854738433

Sunday, October 20, 2019

African Servals Are One Less As Ohio Allows Bullets, Not Tranquilizers

Summary: African servals are down one cat Oct. 13, 2019, when a central Ohio sheriff's department deputy aimed bullets, not tranquilizers, at a young serval.

White spots on the back of the African serval's (Leptailurus serval) ears are thought to play a role in communication; Serval Sabi Sands, South Africa; Wednesday, July 18, 2007, 07:38: Profberger (Lee L. Berger), CC BY SA 3.0 Unported, via Wikimedia Commons

African servals are one cat less with the ambush Oct. 13, 2019, in central Ohio of a solitary, young serval that appears dehydrated, emaciated, hungry, stressed, thin, tired, weak in post-mortem images.

Jefferson Farms residents brought a Fairfield County Sheriff's deputy into their exclusive neighborhood off Laurelwood Drive, southeast of Canal Winchester, to bring down the exotic feline. The Fairfield County deputy carried weaponry, not tranquilizers, to the call and culled a casualty by 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (6:30 p.m. Coordinated Universal Time). Jefferson Farms residents declared that the young serval did undescribed damage to undescribed parts of a domestic dog of undescribed age, breed, gender, health and size.

The young serval exhibited a neck collar even though an examination of Ohio Department of Agriculture records evidenced no area owners of an exotic animal permit.

Eleven-year wild and 23-year captive life expectancies fit the young serval into family-focused African servals as one of a single-birth or a two to five-newborn litter.

Fifteen to 16-plus-month-old sexually mature female African servals gestate 67 to 79-day annual or biannual litters after courting their chosen mate and mating during four-day estrus cycles. The single mothers have dark-marked, gray-wooled, helpless newborns in abandoned aardvark burrows, dense shrubs or dark openings to or under rock piles anytime during the year. African servals, identified by Johann von Schreber (Jan. 17, 1739-Dec. 10, 1810), incline toward monsoon-month, springtime gestations because of increased prey populations and new vegetative growth.

African servals journey as den-bound 7.06 to 8.82-ounce (200 to 250-gram) newborns, 1.41 to 17.64-ounce (400 to 500-gram) 11-days-olds, sighted 9 to 12-day-olds and solids-eating three-week-olds.

African servals such as the young serval keep inside maternal dens until the weaned three to six-month-olds know mother-guided outdoor hunting skills as six to eight-month-olds.

Seventeen to 26-month-old sexually mature males locate within two years 4.4 to 12.36-square-mile (11.5 to 32-square kilometer) territories at maximum 5.96-mile (9.6-kilometer) distances from maternal territories. Mature females maintain 3.67 to 7.72-square-mile (9.5 to 20-square-kilometer) home ranges sometimes merging with males, never with females, and marked by face-gland scent, saliva or urine. Physical and sexual maturity nets lower-ranging female and upper-ranging male 23.23 to 39.37-inch (59 to 100-centimeter) head-body and 13.78 to 15.75-inch (35 to 40-centimeter) tail lengths.

Physically, sexually mature African servals obtain lower-ranging female, higher-ranging male 19.68 to 24.41-inch (50 to 62-centimeter) shoulder-sole heights and 15.4 to 39.68-pound (7 to 18-kilogram) weights.

Delicate-headed, yellow-eyed, long-necked, long-legged African servals possess high-held, large, rotatable ears with white-barred black backs; white undersides; black-barred, black-spotted, black-striped brown-red-yellow uppersides; and black-ringed, black-tipped tails.

Bats, birds, fish, frogs, hares, insects, lizards, mice, rats, shrews and snakes qualify as African serval prey at maximally jumpable, leapable 13.12-foot (4-meter) distances and heights. Keen-sensed, quiet-moving African servals realize early morning, late afternoon, night-time hunts by catching between their canines or claws outdistanced, outjumped, outleaped prey; and mid-day woodland rests. They survive annual average 32.52-inch (826-millimeter) rainfall and temperature at 56.66 degrees Fahrenheit (13.27 degrees Celsius) through wed grassy, wooded 12,467.19-foot (3,800-meter) altitudes above sea level.

The young serval, like all confrontation-wary domesticated and wild Leptailurus serval (λεπταλέος, "delicate" and Portuguese serval, "lynx"), teamed open lands for food with woodlands for rest.

Young serval, with left paw under chin, was killed, not tranquillized, Oct. 13, 2019, in Fairfield County, Ohio: Boinget @Boinget1, via Twitter Oct. 14, 2019

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

young serval, with left paw under chin, was killed, not tranquillized, Oct. 13, 2019, in Fairfield County, Ohio: Boinget @Boinget1, via Twitter Oct. 14, 2019, @ https://twitter.com/Boinget1/status/1183727613522731008

For further information:

Boinget ‏@Boinget1. 14 October 2019. "10TV: Serval cat shot, killed after it was found near Fairfield County subdivision. https://www.10tv.com/article/serval-cat-shot-killed-after-it-was-found-near-fairfield-county-subdivision-2019-oct … via @GoogleNews." Twitter.
Available @ https://twitter.com/Boinget1/status/1183727613522731008

Caniff, Tessa. "Leptailurus serval (On-Line)." Animal Diversity Web. Ann Arbor MI: University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.
Available @ https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Leptailurus_serval/

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. 12 October 2018. "Serval." Encyclopædia Britannica > Subjects > Science > Mammals > Cats & the Feline Family.
Available @ https://www.britannica.com/animal/caracal-mammal

Forster, G. R. 1780. "19) Der Konstantiner." Herrn von Büffons Naturgeschichte der vierfüßingen Thiere. Mit Vermehrungen, aus dem Französischen übersetzt. Sechster Band [Mr. von Büffon's Natural History of Quadrupeds. With additions, translated from French. Volume 6]. 6: 313. Berlin [Germany]: Joachim Pauli.

Furstenberg, Deon. 2009. "Focus on the Serval (Leptailurus serval)." S A Hunter 11034: 36-40.
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"Genus Leptailurus Severtzov, 1858; 389." Pages 58-60. In: Kitchener, A. C.; Ch. Breitenmoser-Würsten; E. Eizirik; A. Gentry; L. Werdelin; A. Wilting; N. Yamaguchi; A. V. Abramov; P. Christiansen; C. Driscoll; J. W. Duckworth; W. Johnson; S.-J. Luo; E. Meijaard; P. O'Donoghue; J. Sanderson; K. Seymour; M. Bruford; C. Groves; M. Hoffmann; K. Nowell; Z. Timmons; & S. Tobe. Winter 2017. "A Revised Taxonomy of the Felidae. The Final Report of the Cat Classification Task Force of the IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group." Cat News Special Issue 11.
Available @ https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/32616/A_revised_Felidae_Taxonomy_CatNews.pdf

Hart, Ted. 13 October 2019. "Wild Cat Killed by Fairfield County Deputy." Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. > Local News.
Available @ https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/wild-cat-killed-by-fairfield-county-deputy/

Hart, Ted. 14 October 2019. "Officials Looking for Owner of Serval Cat Shot, Killed Over Weekend." Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. > Local News.
Available @ https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/officials-looking-for-owner-of-serval-cat-shot-killed-over-weekend/

Hart, Ted. 16 October 2019. "Search Warrant Executed at Ezekiel Elliott's Father's Home After Serval Cat Shot, Killed." Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. > Local News.
Available @ https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/search-warrant-executed-at-ezekiel-elliotts-fathers-home-after-serval-cat-shot-killed/

Pocock, R. I. 18 June 1907. "Notes upon Some African Species of the Genus Felis, Based upon Specimens Recently Exhibited in the Society's Gardens." Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 77: 656-677.
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/proceedingsofzoo19074471121zool/page/665

Schreber. "14. Der Serval." Der Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur, mit Beschreibungen. Dritter Theil. III: 407. Erlangen [Germany]: Wolfgang Walther, 1778.
Available via Biodiversity Heritage Library @ https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42529115
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/stream/SaYugthiereAbbiIIISchr#page/406/mode/2up

"Serval." International Society for Endangered Cats (ISEC) Canada > Wild Cats > African Cats > Small Cats of Africa.
Available @ http://wildcatconservation.org/wild-cats/africa/serval/

"Serval." SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. > Conservation & Research > Animal Info > Animal Bytes > Mammals.
Available @ https://seaworld.org/animals/facts/mammals/serval/

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Available @ http://www.catsg.org/index.php?id=109

"Serval (Leptailurus serval)." Cats For Africa.
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"Serval (Leptailurus serval)." Wild Cat Family > 4. Caracal Lineage.
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"Servals." Encyclopedia of Mammals. Volume 14 Ser-Tas: 2000-2029. Tarrytown NY; Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 1997.

Thiel, C. 2019. "Leptailurus serval." Amended version of 2015 assessment. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T11638A156536762.
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Toon, Ann; and Stephen B. Toon. "Serval Leptailurus (Felis) serval." In: Michael Hutchins, Devra G. Kleiman, Valerius Geist and Melissa C. McDade, editors. Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. Volume 14, Mammals III: 384. Farmington Hills MI: Gale Group, 2003.