Total Solar Eclipses and How to Observe Them Taschenbuch von Martin Mobberley Stark reduziert

To children the world is full of magical events, and the line between make-believe and reality is (happily) distinctly blurred. However, as we all age and have to be realistic, earn money, become serious and responsible adults (yawn!) and accept that life is short and no one is immortal, those magical events fade and die. We accept that the worlds of make-believe are simply a product of the vivid imagi- tions of great story tellers, and that we are all very similar human beings; just sl- ging away at the tedious day job, and hoping for a win on the lottery. However, there are still a few events which are truly magical and, for me, total solar eclipses (TSEs) are about as magical an event as you can ever experience. Our Earth and Sun are, by a ludicrously lucky coincidence (or, some would argue, by a cosmic architect) almost the same apparent size in the sky. Thus, seventy times a century, the Moon¿s shadow passes over a narrow band on the Earth¿s surface and, for those on the track, with clear skies, a truly awe-inspiring sight can be seen. But be warned, eclipse chasing is an addictive drug. Once you have seen tot- ity, you will crave more of the same. The sight of an eclipsed Sun is the stuff of science ?ction, but, for the cost of a plane ?ight or an organized holiday, it can be yours, albeit for a few ?eeting minutes. Über den Autor

Martin Mobberley has a BSc Honours degree in Electronic Engineering from Brunel University, and is a former British Astronomical Association President and Goodacre Medallist.

He is also the author of Astronomical Equipment for Amateurs (1998) and The New Amateur Astronomer (2004); Lunar & Planetary Webcam User’s Guide (NYP); Supernovae and How to Observe them (NYP),. He has contributed chapters to three other Springer Practical Astronomy Series Books. He wrote the children’s book Space Navigator, and has published many papers in Astronomy Now, The Journal of the British Astronomical Association, The Astronomer, and Sky & Telescope.

Zusammenfassung

There are some important eclipses coming up in the years ahead and the technology available to amateur astronomers is improving fast. Here is the ultimate, easy-to-read guide for eclipse-chasers. It includes everything an eclipse chaser needs to ensure that they have with them all the right equipment to observe or image a total solar eclipse. Coverage provides a checklist of where to go to see total solar eclipses for next 15 years. It provides a good feeling for what a trip abroad to an eclipse is like, including a humorous look at all that can and has gone wrong. Travel details are also included, essential in these days of high-security. The book also details a wealth of information about solar eclipses: how and why they happen, the physics of the Sun and solar system, and what can be observed only during a total eclipse.