Approaching Shadows

Abstract

James Fenimore Cooper wrote of a total solar eclipse during its most awesome phase---totality itself. Yet that segment of the event involved only four-and-one-half minutes during a phenomenon that, with its partial phases, lasted for almost three hours. Everyone agrees that a total solar eclipse is by far the most memorable form of eclipse, yet we shouldn't ignore the other two types, partial and annular, each of which are actually more frequent than total events. Furthermore, if a person is anchored to a particular place, he or she will see a partial eclipse, or the partial phases of a central eclipse, every decade or so, but probably won't see totality or annularity during an entire lifetime. Thus we need to pay attention to observing all types, and all phases, of solar eclipses.