Mask of the Sun: The Science, History and Forgotten Lore of Eclipses

by John Dvorak

Overview

What do Emily Dickinson, slave revolts, Babylonian Kings, and Monticello all have in common? A solar eclipse. Whether it was deciding on the location of a grand home (or castle), inspiring poetry, timing battles and revolts, or planning expeditions, eclipses have inspired fear and fascination. Solar eclipses allowed Ptolemy to determine the length of the Mediterranean and helped Einstein establish his General Theory of Relativity. Preliterate societies recorded eclipses on turtle shells found in "The Wastes of Yin" and on the Mayan "Dresden Codex." Eclipses were later instrumental in the creation of longitude and allowed Hubble to understand the expansion of the Universe (and disprove another theory of Einstein's in the process). John Dvorak, the acclaimed author of Earthquake Storms and The Last Volcano, examines this amazing phenomena and reveals the humanism behind the science. With insightful detail and vividly accessible prose, he provides explanations as to how and why eclipses occur—as well as insight into the eclipse of 2017, which was visible across North America.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681776682
Publisher:	Pegasus Books
Publication date:	04/10/2018
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	834,211
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

John Dvorak, PhD, has studied volcanoes and earthquakes around the world for the United States Geological Survey, first at Mount St. Helens in 1980, then a series of assignments in Hawaii, Italy, Indonesia, Central America and Alaska. In addition to dozens of papers published in scientific journals, Dvorak has written cover stories for Scientific American, Astronomy and Physics Today.

Table of Contents

Prologue: New York, 1925 xv

1 The Heretic and the Pope 1

2 The Invisible Planets of Rahu and Ketu 19

3 Saros and the Substitute King 37

4 Measuring the World 53

5 The Waste of Yin 73

6 A Request to the Curious 95

7 The Annulus at Inch Bonney 113

8 A Simple Truth of Nature 127

9 Eclipse Chasers 143

10 Keys and Kettledrums 163

11 The Crucifixion and the Concorde 181

12 Einstein's Error 199

13 The Glorious Corona 221

Epilogue Illinois, 2017 235

Appendix An Eclipse Primer 241

Acknowledgments 245

Sources 247

Index 265

Editorial Reviews

A rich chronicle.

Nature

Inspiring.

Scientific American [praise for John Dvorak]

Unarguably the best, the most comprehensive, and compellingly readable book about the great fault that will one day affect all our lives.

Simon Winchester

Dvorak is a great storyteller with a keen eye for details. His descriptions of the intense heat almost singe the page. Riveting.

The Wall Street Journal [praise for John Dvorak]

"Dvorak’s meticulously researched book covers the history of human reactions and interpretations from Homer to the Bible and beyond. He doesn’t skimp on the science, either; Mask of the Sun is a well rounded, entertaining, and authoritative survey."

Omnivoracious

"If a simple alignment of astronomical bodies can move a 21st-century scientist to tears it’s perhaps not surprising that eclipses of the sun and moon have haunted the human imagination since our species first looked up at the sky. Mask of the Sun charts the history of this obsession through dozens of stories and anecdotes that illustrate how deeply embedded eclipse lore is in cultures across the world."

The Spectator (UK)

"For a more expansive look at how eclipses have been mythologized throughout history, turn to Mask of the Sun. John Dvorak offers useful, engaging background, as well as a deeper understanding of what to expect this August."

New York Times

"A rich chronicle."

Nature Lib

"A splendid introduction to all aspects of eclipses; for all readers interested in science.” ---Library Journal Starred Review

From the Publisher

Jaggar's thrilling adventures to volcanic hot zones like Alaska and Hawaii, where he explored inside active volcanoes, makes one appreciate the fearless nature required for a life of volcanology. Riveting. It leaves readers wanting to know more about how volcanology how has advanced since Jaggar's day.

The American Scholar

Inspiring.

Scientific American

Praise for John Dvorak“Dvorak is a great storyteller with a keen eye for details. His descriptions of the intense heat almost singe the page. Riveting.
”

The Wall Street Journal

★ 03/15/2017
Do you have friends planning a trip to Idaho or Missouri in August? They're probably traveling there to see the eclipse. The United States is about to enter a period of eclipse abundance, with total solar eclipses crossing large swaths of the country in 2017, 2024, and 2045. This will doubtless lead many curious readers seeking to know more. This book provides an excellent overview of how eclipses work and how people have interpreted them through time. The four-page "eclipse primer" with illustrations is especially handy and clear. Dvorak (The Last Volcano) explains complex scientific ideas succinctly and clearly without resorting to formula or jargon. Furthermore, he does an excellent job of conveying the wonder of eclipses, describing both their historical-cultural value and the inspirational effect they have on people. He mentions pivotal eclipses—such as the 1978 eclipse described in David Baron's American Eclipse—and places them in a larger context of scientific discovery and history. Along the way we meet famous writers, from Thucydides to Virginia Woolf, and scientists, from Ptolemy to Albert Einstein. VERDICT A splendid introduction to all aspects of eclipses; for all readers interested in science.—Cate Hirschbiel, Iwasaki Lib., Emerson Coll., Boston

Library Journal