Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Introduction
- Part I The magic and history of eclipses
- Part II Observing solar eclipses
- Part III Eclipses of the Moon
- Part IV Occultations
- Part V Transits
- Part VI My favorite eclipses
- Appendices
- A Solar and lunar eclipses due between 2010 and 2024
- B A glossary of appropriate terms
- C Resources
- Index
Introduction
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 August 2010
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Introduction
- Part I The magic and history of eclipses
- Part II Observing solar eclipses
- Part III Eclipses of the Moon
- Part IV Occultations
- Part V Transits
- Part VI My favorite eclipses
- Appendices
- A Solar and lunar eclipses due between 2010 and 2024
- B A glossary of appropriate terms
- C Resources
- Index
Summary
Only the Earth doth stand forever still:
Her rocks remove not, nor her mountains meet;
(Although some wits enrich'd with learning's skill
Say heaven stands firm and that the Earth doth fleet
And swiftly turneth underneath their feet)
Yet, though the Earth is ever steadfast seen,
On her broad breast hath dancing ever been.
(Sir John Davies, Orchestra, 1596)Whether day ended 400 years ago in Sir John Davies's time, or as it does today, the night sky that has attracted people for thousands of years begins another nightly show. For committed astronomers, amateur or professional, that darkening sky is all that is needed to get our juices flowing. Others require a little more, not just a static display that changes subtly from hour to hour, but something startling, something that crashes upon the celestial stage. A bright meteor, or an eclipse, can spark a lifelong interest in the sky. Eclipses are predictable, and there is usually nothing subtle about them. We can take the experience of an eclipse and put it into a bottle of fond memories. Eclipses show that the sky does change, that the sky is the show that never ends. Eclipses can inspire, and that is why I wrote this guide to getting the most from them.
An eclipse journey
Eclipses are so interesting that some people travel the world to catch them. My wife Wendee and I did this quite literally in late 2003, when we flew across the Atlantic from our home near Tucson, Arizona.
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- Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2010
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