The Story of Eclipses
by George F. CHAMBERS (1841 - 1915)
Solar eclipses have both frightened and fascinated humankind for thousands of years. At first believed to be caused by angry gods punishing the people on Earth, we now know that a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and fully or partially covers the Sun. Ever since scientists were able to predict the next solar eclipse, people - at least the less superstitious ones - wanted to go there and see it for themselves.
This book, published in 1899, was written for potential spectators of the total eclipse of the Sun on May 28, 1900. It deals with the science behind solar eclipses and their prediction, and lists a number of known historic eclipses from antiquity to the 19th century. Also included are eclipses mentioned in books, strange customs surrounding the eclipses, and how best to watch one. (Summary by Ava)
Listen next episodes of
The Story of Eclipses:
Eclipses of the Sun Mentioned in History - Classical ,
Eclipses of the Sun Mentioned in History - The Christian Era to the Norman Conquest ,
Eclipses of the Sun Mentioned in History - Mediaeval and Modern ,
Appendix: The Total Eclipse of the Sun of May 28, 1900 ,
Are Eclipses Alluded to in the Bible? ,
Brief Hints To Observers Of Eclipses Of the Sun ,
Catalogues of Eclipses: And Their Calculation ,
Eclipses in Shakespeare and the Poets ,
Eclipses of the Moon - General Principles ,
Eclipses of the Moon Mentioned in History ,
Eclipses of the Sun During the Nineteenth Century ,
Eclipses of the Sun Mentioned in History - Chinese ,
Strange Eclipse Customs ,
The Electric Telegraph as Applied to Eclipses of the Sun ,
Transits and Occultations ,
What Is Observed After the Total Phase of an Eclipse is at an End ,
What Is Observed During the Total Phase of an Eclipse of the Sun