J. Brit. Astron. Assoc., 108, 1, 1998, p.46
John Wiley & Sons, 1997. ISBN 0-471-12795-7. Pp iv + 280, £11.99 (pbk).
reviewed by Michael Maunder
Using a subtitle 'The What, Where, When, Why & How Guide to Watching Solar & Lunar Eclipses' is an ambitious aim and I think the author does cover a lot of ground here, literally. Not only is Philip a veteran eclipse chaser, but he conveys a real enthusiasm and knowledge which will encourage many readers to follow his example and travel. This enthusiasm for his topic shows through. By quoting his own experiences, the author makes sure the reader is made aware of how the subject can get a grip of you. Where support is needed, there are ample quotes from friends and other amateur eclipse chasers to keep the interest going. Some of these quotes and phrases really do ring true. I particularly like the one he uses on page 54: 'The 'C' word', is the heading for a discussion on clouds!
The author has chosen to tackle the theoretical background in some detail. If you want to know the 'what & why' bits, they are covered in sufficient detail to give the facts well. But just in case, in explaining one of these, he gives 'a note to nitpickers' to explain what really does happen to the science. I like this. How often do we suffer from nitpickers, when it is principles that matter? The knotty problem of the eclipse track itself is dealt with as a description of what is meant by the 'limits of track', and why it is important to allow for the Earth's curvature. Also, why last minute checks become all-important at these limits. There is a lot of good common-sense practical advice on how to go about getting to an eclipse and photographing it. Much is not how I would go about it, and that is the whole point. One always finds new ways of tackling a problem, or remembers things one used to do which are worth reviving.
Aligning the polar axis (p.85, Appendix F, p.267) is fine if you need to use a large telescope. However, most users will find the shadow methods described more than adequate because the point is to just keep the field in view long enough for the visual or photographic exposure intended. Checking lenses for quality on p.86 is also OK in most cases, but readers will be well advised to try the effect of placing the bright test object well off-centre before accepting any lens. We all know that it can be very difficult to get the Sun just where we want it all the time. Many an eclipse picture has failed because off-axis faults only show up off-axis. About half the book is devoted to a description of all eclipses for the next 20 years, following more than a complete Saros from now. This part is divided more or less equally between solar and lunar events, with each listing in time sequence. The coverage for each eclipse is well chosen, so that the amount of descriptive matter does not overwhelm the rest of the text.
If I have any complaint about the book it is the over-confident use of the American culture. By the nature of the topic, the book will be read world wide, and some of the jargon and figures of speech are not at all obvious. I'm still puzzling over 'prorate' on p.67, although I guess its meaning. Not everyone will get the full significance of filling in a tax form on April 15, p.247, although the essential message of not leaving eclipse preparations till the last minute shows through, and has impact. Using a radio to check local times is the way most of us do the job, but other countries do have just as good a system. One of them is called GMT=UT. The real gem of Americanisms is what used to be called a 'Schoolboy Howler' on p.98. Inviting you to 'Expose Yourself' is guaranteed to get you arrested in most places, perhaps even in America.
I can recommend the book as a useful addition to any eclipse-addict's library, even if many of us will not survive to 2017. It is an inspiration to beat the actuarial odds and see some of the events. One of these is so rare, the chance to see Uranus and an eclipsed moon at the same time in October 2014, that it is in my diary. A long time ago I learnt that much can go wrong on the day and here is another approach to avoiding many pitfalls. Instead of using an equipment case to contain everything, I will revive the idea of a dustsheet to catch dropped items. If that fails, we will both use it as a shroud if the 'C' word applies.
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