In the Shadow of the Moon: The Science, Magic, and Mystery of Solar Eclipses

Anticipating a pair of total eclipses that will end a 99-year-long “eclipse drought” in mainland North America, Aveni (Apocalyptic Anxiety), a pioneering cultural astronomer at Colgate University, takes a fresh look at the science—and spectacle—of solar eclipses. The earliest known record of a solar eclipse comes from a Babylonian cuneiform tablet that dates to the second century B.C.E., though ancient Chinese documents supposedly describe an eclipse that occurred in 2137 B.C.E. Recording eclipses—and, later, predicting them—kept mortals informed of the gods’ behavior; they marked the most auspicious time to carry out wars, religious ceremonies, and more. Many cultures saw eclipses as omens predicting military loss or natural disaster, Aveni explains, a habit that astrologers maintained long after humans understood how eclipses happen. Aveni relates how we’ve watched eclipses over the centuries, and his greatest pleasure is in those reports that record the observer’s emotions alongside the event. From the first recorded eclipse-chaser (who crossed North Africa in 1433 C.E. to capture the event) to the celebrated 1878 Pike’s Peak expedition and the 1925 eclipse that captivated a winter-bound New York City, Aveni’s accessible and welcoming work celebrates the enthusiasm of umbraphiles through the ages. (May)