Solar Eclipses

William Sheehan is a noted historian of astronomy and a writer. His books include Mercury (2018), Saturn (2019), Venus (2022) and The Solar System (2025) in Reaktion’s Kosmos series. He lives in Arizona, and asteroid 16037 is named Sheehan in his honour.

This book could be sub-titled ‘a history of awe’. Solar eclipses, which inspire fear, personal transformations and millennia-long scientific quests, offer a rich subject. William Sheehan, an American psychiatrist and astronomical historian who has an asteroid named after him, tells how their study has moved the dial on mathematics, brought breakthroughs in navigation, contributed to the discovery of gravity and vindicated Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity . . . [An] illuminating read. - Laura Parker, Country LifeEclipse-chasers tend to react with inarticulate cheers and shrieks , which recall the fear provoked by eclipses before people understood their causes. Modern scientists might respond differently, but even they confess to the impossibility of describing their awe. Nevertheless , the numerous images in Sheehan's engaging history of eclipse observation hint at this wonder. It will surely inspire any budding astronomers. - NatureWilliam Sheehan’s Solar Eclipses offers an illuminating tour through the science and history of nature’s most awe-inspiring spectacle. Wonderfully illustrated and richly told, it’s a book that will appeal to novice and expert alike. - David Baron, author of American Eclipse: A Nation’s Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the WorldSolar Eclipses is a comprehensive guide on the history, science, and majesty of solar eclipses. Exploring the eclipse experience across time and cultures, William Sheehan examines how eclipses influenced people from early observers to modern astronomer-adventurers, and how eclipse predictions and studies drove major advances in our understanding of the Sun, chemistry, and the nature of gravity. Notably, Solar Eclipses delves into the awe and wonder of experiencing a solar eclipse, with guidance for those making their first or fifteenth eclipse viewing. With clear science graphics and compelling historical images, this is a beautifully written reference for those drawn to the eclipse shadow. - Adam Burgasser, Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics, UC San DiegoBill Sheehan takes the reader on a captivating journey through the scientific and cultural heritage of solar eclipses, revealing the cosmic choreography behind one of nature’s most mesmerizing spectacles. This book is a must-read for eclipse enthusiasts and curious minds alike. - Kevin Schindler, historian at Lowell Observatory, Arizona