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Sun Moon Earth: The History of Solar Eclipses from Omens of Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets

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Sun Moon Earth: The History of Solar Eclipses from Omens of Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets

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Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

For science nerds and eclipse chasers, this gorgeously illustrated book about all things eclipses is a great starting point for exploring something new, or a stellar addition to anyone already engaged.

With beautiful illustrations and a detailed map, Sun Moon Earth has everything you need to get ready for the next solar eclipse.

On April 8, 2024, millions of Americans will experience an awe-inspiring phenomenon: a total eclipse of the sun. In Sun Moon Earth, astronomer Tyler Nordgren illustrates how this most seemingly unnatural of natural phenomena was transformed from a fearsome omen to a tourist attraction. From the astrologers of ancient China and Babylon to the high priests of the Maya, Sun Moon Earth takes us around the world to show how different cultures interpreted these dramatic events. Greek philosophers discovered eclipses' cause and used them to measure their world and the cosmos beyond. Victorian-era scientists mounted eclipse expeditions during the age of globe-spanning empires. And modern-day physicists continue to use eclipses to confirm Einstein's theory of relativity.

Beautifully illustrated and lyrically written, Sun Moon Earth is the ideal guide for all eclipse watchers and star gazers alike.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780465060924
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	09/13/2016
Pages:	264
Sales rank:	179,479
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Tyler Nordgren is an astronomer and Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Redlands. He earned a PhD in astronomy from Cornell University and has worked as an astronomer at both the U.S. Naval Observatory and Lowell Observatory.

In 2004, NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers landed on Mars carrying sundials, or "Marsdials," which he helped design as part of a team of seven other scientists and artists. Since 2007, Nordgren has worked closely with the U.S. National Park Service, traveling the country giving public talks, promoting his books, and helping train rangers to provide astronomy outreach in the parks. He lives in Claremont, California.

Prologue xi

Introduction: From Omen to Awe 1

Chapter 1 A Day with Two Dawns and Midnight at Noon 7

Chapter 2 Two Worlds One Sun 29

Chapter 3 Shadows Across a Sea of Stars 57

Chapter 4 As Below, So Above 85

Chapter 5 The Eclipse That Changed the World 111

Chapter 6 Saros Siblings 143

Chapter 7 The Great American Eclipse and Beyond 171

Chapter 8 The Last Total Eclipse 191

Acknowledgments 209

Solar Eclipse Resources 211

Notes 213

Index 227

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Best Reads For the Total Solar Eclipse

As we find ourselves living through countless events that will undoubtedly end up in a middle schooler’s history textbook one day, it can be easy to turn a blind eye to the next Big Thing. We’re here to let you know you shouldn’t ignore this one — it’s a doozy. The total solar eclipse is […]

06/27/2016
Nordgren, an astronomer and associate professor of physics at the University of Redlands, lyrically relates the long, fascinating history of the human relationship with eclipses. He begins with examples of how premodern cultures understood and predicted eclipses of the Sun and Moon, pointing out that both the Mayans and the Chaldeans had charts to aid in prediction. Lunar eclipses also helped confirm that the Earth was round and were used to approximate the size of the Earth and the distance to the Sun and Moon. Nordgren sprinkles his history and scientific explanations with delightful comments and personal anecdotes that highlight his joy in his work. He pays special attention to Arthur Eddington’s 1919 experiment using an eclipse to prove Einstein’s special theory of relativity. Relating a humorous account of the 19th-century “discovery” of the hypothesized planet Vulcan, Nordgren shows how when Eddington proved Einstein correct, Vulcan vanished. That particular eclipse led to profound changes in science, language, and worldview. Nordgren also devotes a chapter to the recent hobby of eclipse chasing, in which he eagerly participates. As Nordgren prepares readers to experience their next eclipses, he presents his material clearly and treats the past with respect. Illus. Agent: Farley Chase, Chase Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

One of Amazon's Best Science Books of 2016

"Tyler Nordgren's Sun Moon Earth: The History of Solar Eclipses from Omens of Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets is a charming and informative primer on the subject.... As the title suggests, the book is more than a generic guide to next year's eclipse...it is a philosophical, historical, and speculative meditation on the roots of scientific thinking and the development of astronomical theory and practice."—Wall Street Journal

"[A] sprightly, informative new guide to solar eclipses..."

—TIME

"Few books have been as valuable to eclipse chasers as this one. In Sun Moon Earth: The History of Solar Eclipses from Omens of Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets, astronomer Tyler Nordgren delivers a comprehensive history of the science and cultural fascination with these almost magical events... It is a niftily written narrative that will entertain, inform, and get your juices flowing for next year's big event."—Astronomy.com

"When the moon clips our view of the sun or our own shadow blots out our satellite, we experience it with the benefit of millennia of knowledge. We know years in advance when an eclipse will happen, where on the planet it will be visible and, perhaps most importantly, that the world will not end because of it. Our ancestors were not so well-prepared. Astronomer and physicist Nordgren charts the path our species has taken from terror to scientific understanding, and he's done it with and clarity."—Discover

"Tyler Nordgren's book takes you on a journey of discovery by telling the tales of astronomers who sailed the world to witness and measure eclipses—and the fierce arguments that shaped scientific theory. Nordgren, an astronomer himself, carefully explains some of the most awesome astronomical discoveries with a clarity that anyone can understand. It covers everything from Christopher Columbus to modern-day methods of measuring transit stars. With a huge solar eclipse set to cover the U.S. in 2017, now would be a good time to bone up on your space knowledge."—Popular Mechanics

"On 21 August 2017, the United States will experience its first total solar eclipse in 40 years. Astronomer Tyler Nordgren's primer maps essentials for that event, contextualized by a fascinating history that sweeps us from Anaxagoras' explanation of eclipses in the fifth century BC to Arthur Eddington's test of Einstein's theory of general relativity during the May 1919 total eclipse. Nordgren is a wonderful guide to both the science and the sensory thrills."—Nature

"Nordgren, an astronomer at the University of Redlands in California, has spent a lifetime explaining solar-system geometry to people who rarely contemplate their place in the universe. His experience with clarity makes this the best general-interest entry point."—Dallas Morning News

From the Publisher

07/01/2016
How humans experience eclipses, writes astronomer and physicist Nordgren (Stars Above, Earth Below), lies at "the intersection of fear and calculation, mysticism and science." Nordgren explores that intersection with aplomb, weaving digestible astronomy lessons and helpful illustrations into stories of eclipse appearances throughout history—along with his own travels with fellow "eclipse chasers" around the world. Solar eclipses especially, with their momentary darkness and diamond ring effect, have long been viewed with equal parts fascination and dread. Cataloged by the ancient Egyptians and used for navigation by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, eclipses were even used by 19th-century astronomers to search for the elusive planet Vulcan before Albert Einstein's new theory of relativity rendered it nonexistent. Anticipating the "Great American Eclipse" in August 2017, the author offers tips for viewing and suggested supplies, along with a handy schedule of future events for intrepid readers. The mix of memoir and history is clumsy at times, but the author shares an infectious enthusiasm for the singular yet eerie delight of catching a glimpse of "totality." VERDICT A breezy yet substantive appreciation of a rare and beautiful celestial phenomenon, ideal for astronomy nuts and fans of popular science.—Chad Comello, Morton Grove P.L., IL

Library Journal

2016-05-18
Solar and lunar eclipses have played an integral role in unlocking some of the biggest mysteries of the universe and are now revered for their celestial beauty; but for our ancestors, eclipses were seen as portending doom.Nordgren (Physics/Univ. of Redlands; Stars Above, Earth Below: A Guide to Astronomy in the National Parks, 2010, etc.), who has worked at the U.S. Naval Observatory, takes readers on a tour of astronomical history via mankind's observation of solar and lunar eclipses. The relative rarity and dramatic imagery of eclipses resulted in much mythmaking among ancient civilizations, but later scientists recognized the phenomena as an experimental tool that made it possible to determine the geography of the sun and confirm Einstein's theory of relativity. In language accessible for readers of all ages, the author delves into the history of mankind's cultural response to eclipses, from the charts tracking eclipse seasons in the Mayan codex to today's growing population of "coronaphiles," who travel around the world chasing total solar eclipses. Nordgren also includes many dazzling images, drawings, and photographs to illustrate scientific concepts or convey the media's extravagant coverage of scientific events. Aside from being one of the few astronomers writing nontechnical accounts of eclipses, the author's enthusiastic practicality makes him stand out: he includes a comprehensive list of all upcoming eclipses (through 2029) and where to view them, including the already much-anticipated total solar eclipse due to occur on Aug. 21, 2017, which will be visible from the United States. Yet the book's appeal is also poetic; to the author, nothing less than "the secrets of the universe have been revealed to us by shadows stretching over the light-years between stars." A charming natural history of eclipses and a guide to witnessing the awe-inspiring event yourself.

Kirkus Reviews

Sun Moon Earth: The History of Solar Eclipses from Omens of Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets

Sun Moon Earth: The History of Solar Eclipses from Omens of Doom to Einstein and Exoplanets

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