antikythera mechanism, lunar eclipse, outer space, solar eclipse, total solar eclipse

Humans Have Been Predicting Eclipses for Thousands of Years

The coastal town of Exmouth in Western Australia experienced one of the most spectacular astronomical phenomena on April 20, 2023 — a total solar eclipse. Eclipses have entranced us for millennia. But it turns out that calculating exactly when and where we can watch an eclipse in its full glory can be surprisingly hard. Watching ...

Troy Oakes

The Antikythera mechanism on display.

A ‘Hybrid’ Solar Eclipse Is About to Be Visible in Australia.

On Thursday, April 20, the Ningaloo region of Western Australia will experience a total solar eclipse. Eclipse chasers from around the world are converging on the town of Exmouth in hopes of experiencing the profound awe of standing in the Moon’s shadow as it quickly races by. Only a narrow path across Earth, which includes ...

Troy Oakes

A total solar eclipse.

Byzantine Solar Eclipse Records Illuminate Obscure History of Earth’s Rotation

Witnessing a total solar eclipse is an unforgettable experience and may have been even more impressive throughout history before we were able to understand and accurately predict their occurrence. But the historical records of these remarkable astronomical spectacles are more than mere curiosities — they provide invaluable information on changes in the Earth’s movement. Byzantine ...

Troy Oakes

A total solar eclipse.