Eclipse, Darcy Pattison
Eclipse, Darcy Pattison
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Eclipse
How the 1919 Solar Eclipse Proved Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity

Author: Darcy Pattison

Narrator: Josiah Bildner

Unabridged: 22 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Mims House

Published: 10/01/2011


Synopsis

KIRKUS REVIEW: "Pattison takes a complicated scientific theory and makes it not just fairly understandable, but entertaining as well."
In 1915, British astronomer Arthur Stanley Eddington was fascinated with Einsteins new theory of general relativity. The theory talks about how forces push and pull objects in space. Einstein said that the sun's gravity could pull and bend light.
To test this, astronomers decided to photograph a solar eclipse. The eclipse would allow them to photograph the stars before and during the solar eclipse. If the star's position moved, then it was evidence that that light had bent. Eddington and his team traveled from England to the island of Principe, just off the African coast, to photograph the eclipse.
In simple language, this nonfiction illustrated picture book explains how the push (acceleration) and pull (gravity) of space affects light. Back matter includes information on Einstein, Eddington, and the original photograph of the 1919 solar eclipse.
"The text of the book is wonderfully clear and easy to follow, and the illustrations are great, both lively and informative. The story of the eclipse unfolds dramatically, and the science is explained vividly and correctly." Daniel John Kennefick, Astrophysicist and Science Historian

Reviews

Goodreads review by Chris on October 03, 2018

Moorehead was a British war correspondent and wrote this in 1945, a few months after WWII ended. I didn't know that Eclipse was the code name for the Allied last operation in Europe. I was a little leery as I saw he was going to delve into battles & strategy of the European front, but this was immen......more

Goodreads review by Richard on June 03, 2010

Some of the best first person war reportage Ive ever read. The great scenes of WWII on the western front from a first row seat. Some amazing little moments while history is playing itself out around him. I could read Alan Moorehead right the phone book. Written months after the war ended, its a bit......more

Goodreads review by Maynard on August 24, 2020

Fascinating stuff! Other reviewers have commented on the obvious aspects, but the part that struck me the most was the incompetence of the political planning around the invasion of Italy and the handling of the Balkans. The entire strategy appears to have been driven by wishful thinking and fantasy.......more

Goodreads review by Constantine on January 28, 2025

A brilliant memoir/history of World War II from the Italian campaign to Normandy to the end of the war.......more