Eclipse: The Celestial Phenomenon That Changed the Course of History

by Duncan Steel

Book Overview

Whether interpreted as an auspicious omen or a sentinel of doom, eclipses have had a profound effect upon our cultural development. Throughout recorded history, they have evoked consternation, fear, and dread--as well as awe and wonderment.

Ancient peoples were clearly disconcerted by them. The Romans marked pivotal battles with the Greeks by references to an eclipse. The date of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ has been derived by using biblical...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 030907438X
• ISBN13: 9780309074384
• Release Date: October 2001
• Publisher: Joseph Henry Press
• Length: 492 Pages
• Weight: 1.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 8.5" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

Big surprise in a small package

I got this book as a Christmas gift, after which it sat on my shelf unread for years, only occasionally glanced at. Yet, on some whim I picked it up, started reading, and was hooked at once, and soon wondered why I didn't do this a long time ago. I've read quite a few astronomy books in my day (and browsed many more), and found none quite as nifty as this one: equal parts science, history, and trivia, it's a light and thoroughly engaging read that I recommend for anyone interested in the eclipse phenomenon. Serious enthusiasts might prefer a harder, more mathematically-bent text, but chances are that many newbies will come away from this book feeling they could write about eclipses themselves, and they might be half-right. A keeper.

The perfect eclipse viewer book!

This book is all about history, wars, and the involvement of eclipses within them. Eclipses are kinda-sorta predictable. The ancients used eclipses as a useful part of their lives. What I like about this book is that it catches the imagination of the eclipse viewer and simple calculations in the appendix.

Unusually comprehensive, but in small format

This is an unusually comprehensive book about lunar and solar eclipses. I only wish that the book were a larger format and contained color illustrations instead of just black and white. The book is relatively small at 7.25 x 5.25 inches, and so the illustrations are quite small. The only color photo is on the cover jacket, which is a shame. I recognize a number of the B & W illustrations, and so I know that the originals were in color. Despite its shortcomings, this book is a welcome addition to my eclipse library.

History meets science

Steel melds his knowledge of history and science in a highly readable book. To propel his discussion of celestial bodies, he uses the fuel of such stories as: * Einstein's theory of relativity as vindicated by an Eclipse * Alexander's defeat of Darius the day after an eclipse in 331 BC. * The bible's use of moon language, speaking of days where the moon will be darkened (some kind of eclipse?) With facts like this, Steel keeps us following a provocative discussion of the moon and its cycles. The history lessons are interspersed with scientific facts so that after a while one doesn't know if he is reading a history book or a science novel. As the author points out, the Eclipse as a phenomena in the sky held special cultic meaning for the Ancient Near Eastern religions (esp. the Egyptians). But one is left wondering if Steel is accurate at all points of history. For example, when arguing from the Bible about supposed eclipse accounts therein, he sees the story Abraham as alluding to one, "And when the sun was going down...great darkness fell upon him." Because he sees this text as an eclipse, he dates the time of Abraham to 9 May 1533 BC 6:30pm. What is interesting in this is that there is an actual internet database maintained by NASA that allows the author (and us!) to track all eclipses for all time. Indeed, there was an eclipse visible in Jerusalem in 1533, but does that mean that the text in question is talking about an eclipse? Steel may be misreading the biblical data, but it is only a small distraction from his great book. It should be noted, Steel's book is not only about the moon, but about all of the celestial bodies and man's reaction to their appearances (Mars, comets, famous meteor storms, etc.). This book is a good introduction for the novice about such things as "blue moons", "the diamond ring" affect, eclipses in general, the calendar and the moon, and other such relevant topics. I first heard of Duncan Steel when he was interviewed on NPR in June of 2002; the audio of that was once available on the internet.

Blends science with history

Eclipses have long been perceived as portentous events and have affected world cultural development, from the onset or cessation of battles to dates of historic decisions. This blends science with history as astronomer Steel explains how eclipses occur, their history, and their influence on human lives. Black and white illustrations throughout capture eclipse history and drama.