Solar Eclipses
William SheehanA thrilling guide to the celestial drama and scientific wonder of eclipses.
For millennia, solar eclipses have stirred awe and fear. Once seen as omens, they are now celebrated as rare spectacles that unite science and wonder. This accessible, richly illustrated book explores their cultural, emotional and scientific significance, from ancient myths to modern eclipse-chasing expeditions. It traces how eclipses helped unlock secrets of the Sun, and why witnessing one inspires powerful reactions and lifelong fascination. The book also offers practical guidance for planning and observing upcoming eclipses, making it an essential companion for curious observers and seasoned eclipse-hunters alike. Combining historical depth, scientific insight and personal experience, this is the definitive guide to one of nature’s most dramatic and moving celestial events.
A thrilling guide to the celestial drama and scientific wonder of eclipses.
For millennia, solar eclipses have stirred awe and fear. Once seen as omens, they are now celebrated as rare spectacles that unite science and wonder. This accessible, richly illustrated book explores their cultural, emotional and scientific significance, from ancient myths to modern eclipse-chasing expeditions. It traces how eclipses helped unlock secrets of the Sun, and why witnessing one inspires powerful reactions and lifelong fascination. The book also offers practical guidance for planning and observing upcoming eclipses, making it an essential companion for curious observers and seasoned eclipse-hunters alike. Combining historical depth, scientific insight and personal experience, this is the definitive guide to one of nature’s most dramatic and moving celestial events.
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This book could be sub-titled ‘a history of awe’. Solar eclipses, which inspire fear, personal transformations and millennia-long scientific quests, offer a rich subject. William Sheehan, an American psychiatrist and astronomical historian who has an asteroid named after him, tells how their study has moved the dial on mathematics, brought breakthroughs in navigation, contributed to the discovery of gravity and vindicated Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity . . . [An] illuminating read.
'Country Life
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William Sheehan’s Solar Eclipses offers an illuminating tour through the science and history of nature’s most awe-inspiring spectacle. Wonderfully illustrated and richly told, it’s a book that will appeal to novice and expert alike.
'David Baron, author of American Eclipse: A Nation’s Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World
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Solar Eclipses is a comprehensive guide on the history, science, and majesty of solar eclipses. Exploring the eclipse experience across time and cultures, William Sheehan examines how eclipses influenced people from early observers to modern astronomer-adventurers, and how eclipse predictions and studies drove major advances in our understanding of the Sun, chemistry, and the nature of gravity. Notably, Solar Eclipses delves into the awe and wonder of experiencing a solar eclipse, with guidance for those making their first or fifteenth eclipse viewing. With clear science graphics and compelling historical images, this is a beautifully written reference for those drawn to the eclipse shadow.
'Adam Burgasser, Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, UC San Diego
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Bill Sheehan takes the reader on a captivating journey through the scientific and cultural heritage of solar eclipses, revealing the cosmic choreography behind one of nature’s most mesmerizing spectacles. This book is a must-read for eclipse enthusiasts and curious minds alike.
'Kevin Schindler, historian at Lowell Observatory, Arizona
Preface
1 In the Rush of the Moon’s Shadow
2 Ancient History
3 The Greeks
4 The ‘Impudent Star’
5 Eclipses and the ‘Error’ of the Moon
6 The Scientific Study of Solar Eclipses Begins
7 Vulcan!
8 Eclipse Science Comes of Age
9 ‘Tranquillity Shadowed with Horror’
Appendix I: How to (Safely) Observe a Solar Eclipse
Appendix II: Solar Eclipses 2026–9
References
Further Reading
Acknowledgements
Photo Acknowledgements
Index
William Sheehan is a noted historian of astronomy and a writer. His books include Mercury (2018), Saturn (2019), Venus (2022) and The Solar System (2025) in Reaktion’s Kosmos series. He lives in Arizona, and asteroid 16037 is named Sheehan in his honour.
