82 books like Eclipse and Revelation

I found this book compelling because Noon and De Napoli, both Indigenous astronomers, combine their Western scientific knowledge with First Nations cultural knowledge. I was particularly moved by reading about their different but connected personal journeys. Despite prejudice and disadvantage, each was determined to pursue tertiary education and careers in Western astronomy and maintain and communicate the sky knowledge systems of Aboriginal communities.  They unite in presenting astronomy as land and sky together in one cosmology. 

I liked this book because it felt very personal. The occasional, justified critique of Australian society and historical events makes it authentic. I often paused to absorb and reflect. This is part of a six-book series called First Knowledges, and I plan to read the other five.

I was fortunate to view two Venus transits, and this book made me realize how certain astronomical events have had enormous social impacts. There are many such examples of adventure, elation, and disappointment in this book, but the one that I found most fascinating is the 1769 transit of Venus, which was the main reason for the British voyage to the Southern Hemisphere. This historical event had major repercussions for Australian Indigenous people due to British colonisation. 

I particularly enjoyed referring to the many colorful images and maps as I read. The stunning painting of Fort Venus, set up for Lieutenant James Cook and astronomer Charles Green’s observations, led me to recently visit the same site, now called ‘Point Venus’, in Tahiti.

This book makes me feel like I am discovering the clues that will lead to solving some of the big questions of our existence. Fred Watson is very good at explaining mind-blowing cosmic science, and I enjoyed his wit and sense of humor. 

This book is about the resilience of our planet Earth. It discusses the science behind cosmic phenomena and explains new technology and applied physics. It made me feel that all may not be lost due to our environmental destruction. My favorite section is about the research contributions made around the globe by citizen scientists and amateur astronomers and the challenges posed by the advent of space tourism.

As I read this book of 37 individual stories, I felt so pleased that these leading astronomers, all women, had taken the time to write and publish their stories about the obstacles they had faced in scientific research and recognition due to gender prejudice. It was tough but compelling to read out the only woman in a physics class having belittling names called out to her as she entered the room and men who took credit for women’s work.

I like how easily understandable this book is with its short sections and informative diagrams. Historical eclipses are described; these include the famous story of how, in 1504, Christopher Columbus supposedly used a total eclipse of the Moon to frighten Jamaican natives into supplying him and his crew with food.

My favorite section, though, is the book’s appendix, which gives simple explanations of important but complex phenomena, such as the precession of the equinoxes, the different types of months, and how often eclipses repeat. The best part is that the calculations in the appendix can be followed using just a basic calculator.

What I most enjoyed about the book was the description of the famous eclipse flight of Concorde 001 in 1973, a flight in which one of the authors had a senior role. As the track of a solar eclipse sweeps across the Earth, lucky watchers in the right place, at the right time, see totality for a maximum of a few minutes.

Somehow, French astronomers managed to obtain permission to use the prototype supersonic aircraft to attempt to keep up with the shadow of the Moon. The flight was a phenomenal success, allowing the scientists onboard to observe a phenomenal 74 minutes of totality. This record has not been equaled in the half-century since, nor is it likely to be equaled for a long time to come.

Have you ever wondered where all the stars went? When was the last time you saw the Milky Way? We have national parks to preserve beautiful places like the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone geysers. But somehow, the Milky Way, a billion glowing stars all blended together in a band everyone could see every moonless night everywhere on Earth, has just faded away to invisibility for 80% of Americans. How did that happen and why we should care is what Bogard writes about in this lovely book written not for scientists or amateur astronomers, but for everyone who’s ever thought about simply “sleeping under the stars.”

The stars have captivated hunter-gatherers, artists and astrologers, sages and scientists, romantics, and civilizations since the beginning of human time. 

In this book we encounter the twenty-one brightest stars visible from earth and dig into their remarkable secrets. Did you know some giant stars spin so fast they flatten out like eggs? There are stars that pulse back and forth like beating hearts? And some stars are cosmic interlopers passing through our Milky Way galaxy on their way back into the void of forever space. This is my go-to book when I want to refresh my imagination with wondrous facts about the stars blazing overhead. It should be within handy reach of every star-struck observer, camper, or poet.

Pluto’s Secret is the tale of Pluto’s discovery, naming, and demotion from planet to “icy world.” Along the way, it is jam-packed with details about astronomy, with Pluto jumping in with its endearing point of view. Immersed in Pluto’s world this way, Pluto’s Secret is a fun and upbeat way to learn about planets as well as the way astronomy is done.

The last two books I suggest are of fresh press and testify to the modern approach to archaeoastronomy as a multi-disciplinary science. In this book, the aim is to approach Greek religion as a complex mix of rituals, cults, and architecture, identifying the connections with the sky and, more generally, with the “cosmos”. Relevant examples are discussed in detail.