Describes for both casual and veteran observers the nature of the sun and eclipse phenomena, future eclipses through the year 2052, and scientific lessons learned from solar eclipses. The final chapter is devoted to the 11 July 1991 total eclipse. Includes many color and b&w photographs, diagrams, and maps. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

Review

Francis Baily, spent his twenties exploring unsettled parts of North America and didn't get around to astronomy until he was 37, when he travelled to an annular eclipse of the Sun in southern Scotland. On May 15, 1836 he watched as light from the occluded sun poured through the lunar valleys and reached him broken up into "a row of lucid points, like a string of bright beads". With those words, Baily founded the industry of eclipse chasing.

The best feature of Totality is its wealth of biographical information about eclipse-chasers past and present. Throughout this century, every total eclipse over land has been attended by scientists willing to travel great distances, endure hostile climates--and risk complete failure because of clouds--for a few minutes' view of the corona. This turbulent outer part of the sun, best studied when the sun is obscured, draws observers across the globe to this day.

Totality is one of several portmanteau guides produced in time for the 1999 eclipse, and like most of them it doesn't seem to know which readers it's addressing. Near the beginning the reader is abjured not to let all the science bits "stand in the way of your enjoyment of the wild, wacky, and wonderful things people have thought and done about solar eclipses". What a naff sentiment, in such a fascinating and adult marriage of science, history, biography and sound technical advice. - -Simon Ings

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