The Celestial Phenomenon which has Changed the Course of History.
Since the dawn of time, eclipses have been perceived as peculiarly portentous events. Whether signs of divine displeasure or augurs of good fortune, the ability to predict their occurrence has been an important one throughout history. Stonehenge may well have been built for this very purpose, and the ancient Babylonians, Egyptians and Greeks all set great store by keeping accurate records of these heavenly phenomena. More recently, the eclipse of 1919 was used to prove part of Einstein's theory of relativity once and for all.
The pattern which eclipses follow - a cycle, called the saros, lasting some 18 years and 11 days - was calculated thousands of years ago, but it is only with the advent of modern computers that it has been possible to analyse it fully. Furthermore, science has only must begun to realise the many unique research opportunities which an eclipse provides, whether for studying the upper layers of the sun and the atmosphere of the earth, or the effects of such events on human psychology.
These once-in-a-lifetime happenings hold a powerful fascination for us all, and Duncan Steel's book explains everything you will ever need to know about eclipses, their science and their significance to humankind.
