Hullabaloo and pandemonium : let's hear it for the eclipse

The total solar eclipse of 11 August 1999 is likely to be seen by more people than any previous eclipse. This article looks at the history of human observation of eclipses, from the earliest records of the Babylonians to the eclipse-junkies of today. It also considers how these observations have helped the development of our understanding of eclipses and the nature of the Sun and Moon.