Eclipse Chaser

A journalist and photojournalist team up to follow a group of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers who travel around the world to observe the sun's corona in the fleeting moments of a total eclipse. This entry in the long-running series follows solar physicist Shadia Habbal as she leads her team of "Solar Wind Sherpas" to observe the "Great American Eclipse" of 2017. Loomis begins by recounting two earlier attempts, a failure and a success. Then she introduces both the Syrian American scientist and the astronomical phenomenon and sets the stage in Mitchell, Oregon, in 2017. Backtracking, she describes an earlier scientific breakthrough in Libya in 2006, where the team observed some previously unexpected aspects of the sun's corona. The last two chapters focus on the nervous hours before the actual eclipse and then the relief when, after a few minutes of totality, when the world has gone dark and their computer-activated cameras have done their jobs, they find they have good images to study until the next opportunity to view the eclipsed sun. The author's clear explanations help readers understand what this scientific team is looking for and why they choose to do it this way. Interspersed breakout sections, diagrams, and maps add helpful information, including descriptions of two other observation sites. Large, clear photographs show Habbal and her diverse (but mostly white) team at work, their equipment, and the sun in various stages. Stellar science teamwork in an unusual spotlight. (glossary, selected sources, photo credits, acknowledgments, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

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January 10, 2020

Gr 5-7-Loomis chronicles the work of astronomer and solar physicist Shadia Habbal. Habbal and her team traveled around the world to study solar eclipses. The purpose of this research was to learn more about the sun, how it works, how the solar system operates, and the forces that control its movement. Readers learn this "risky research" is expensive, challenging, and involves venturing to remote and sometimes inaccessible locations. While the text describes several places where Habbal conducted her studies, it focuses mainly on the Great American Eclipse, which occurred on August 21, 2017. The text and photographs capture the thrill, tension, and drama of this event. Loomis vividly describes the beginning of the eclipse: "For a few seconds, the sun is a thin white circle, sparkling with bright points of light. Then the false night falls, the sky turns a deep blue-black, and a ghostly white halo glows out of the darkness." Cowan's photographs not only provide amazing views of a total eclipse, but they also reveal the strong collaboration among the team members, the elaborate equipment that they used, the hard work involved, and the excitement they felt when another part of the mystery of the sun was revealed. The awe and wonder of scientific research shine. VERDICT An excellent addition to the "Scientists in the Field" series. A fine choice for demonstrating the actual work of scientists and the importance of their research.-Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York

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