Eclipse: Our Sky's Most Dazzling Phenomenon

by Kelsey Oseid

Discover the ancient myths and fascinating science of the world's most striking celestial phenomena—eclipses—in this educational, beautifully illustrated guide by the acclaimed author of What We See in the Stars .

Awe-inspiring, majestic, and always a little otherworldly, eclipses have captivated our imaginations for thousands of years. Whether plunged into darkness as the sun disappears in the middle of the day or enchanted by the moon’s blood red glow as a vast shadow creeps across its surface, our ancestors both feared and revered eclipses, seeking to understand these striking celestial events through both storytelling and science.

In Eclipse , celebrated artist and author Kelsey Oseid explores the science and mystique of lunar and solar eclipses, from the myths of our ancestors to today. Did you know that in Chinese legends, solar eclipses were caused by dragons eating the sun? Or that the Norse people believed that a sky wolf chased away the moon? Oseid presents these rich historical stories alongside informative, accessible science to enrich your a solar eclipse only occurs during a new moon; a selenelion is when you can see the lunar eclipse in front of you and the sunset behind you; and the Mars Rovers have even taken photographs of eclipses from Mars.

Filled with captivating information and vivid, colorful illustrations, Eclipse will delight and inspire astronomy lovers of all ages.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Space

112 pages, Hardcover

Published February 6, 2024

About the author

Kelsey Oseid is an illustrator, painter, artist, and amateur naturalist. She has illustrated a variety of children's books and runs an online shop where she sells prints and original pieces of her nature-themed work. Her work has been featured on Design*Sponge, Oh So Beautiful Paper, Everglow Handmade, and in magazines like Organic Life, Anthology, and Good Housekeeping. She is the author of What We See in the Stars and Whales- An Illustrated Celebration.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The perfect book to pickup to prepare for April's eclipse. Beautifully presented, with whimsical art that helps illustrate the concepts being explained. Looks at the way past cultures experienced (and learned to predict) eclipses, as well as the science behind what it is we're seeing. This is such a great way to present science to non-science people. The writing is accessible and an easy entry point for someone who doesn't really know much about the topic (hi!) but may be inspired to go learn more in the future.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a book that has been passed onto me with some high star ratings and so I was looking forward to seeing what could make such a high review for the book itself. And truly this book has a beautiful cover that will be enjoyed more in person than seeing it online due to the gold foil for the corona.

Unfortunately I found the book to be average at best since the author couldn't quite seem to be able to make-up her mind on how she wanted her book to lean. The majority of the book is scientific-based while providing the reader with lots and lots of information thus taking away the magic of the eclipse but then dabbles into the mythos for many cultures occasionally.

Furthermore it felt like the author wasn't quite a fan of lunar eclipses while shrugging them off as ho-hum while not needing to trave to see them (if you are in a well-lit city you may want to find somewhere at least where you can see the night sky) and then in her chapter about them actually stating that there are some eclipses that can be seen that are quite worth the travel, especially if you tend to be one of the more lucky ones.

And finally the last thing is she provides the reader with lots of activities to do during an eclipse instead of just having the reader enjoy it for what it is, especially if it is their first, thus also possibly missing out since they are so busy marking the shadow or whatever.

I can most definitely see where an educator or caregiver of a child may use portions of this book to help their little one ready for a solar or lunar eclipse that may be appearing in their locale but there should also be a reminder to readers of all ages to remember to also just take a moment to enjoy the magic instead of letting the science all swallow it out.

[Kiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover of "Eclispse" is a beautiful portrayal of a solar eclipse, with gold foil providing the glimmering details of the corona. I like how the author provides the chronicles of the scientific discoveries over time as well as the cultural tales that describe the eclipses. The painted illustrations highlight the visual aspects of eclipses like penumbra, umbra, Bailey's beads, and the overall alignment of the Sun, Earth, and moon. Next time I teach 8th grade science, I would like to bring this book to class to provide visual supports for students. "Eclipse" features visual details celebrating astronomy on every page, including a phases of the moon border around the index!

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the artwork in this little book. It succinctly explains eclipse phenomenon. A must read this year.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

a must read for upcoming eclipse shenanigans!

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh

[Ellen Wolintz-Fields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative before Monday’s solar eclipse

[Amy Roebuck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pictures were perfect for explaining an eclipse to young children, but the text did not disappoint for older students and adults. This is one I purchased for friends with families.

[Lea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Oseid’s books - the combo of art and science is a great way for me to learn. I enjoyed learning some more information in a beautiful way.