Empire and the Sun ─ Victorian Solar Eclipse Expeditions

The reach of the British Empire allowed Victorian astronomers to travel around the globe to observe solar eclipses. Pang (researcher at Institute for the Future, a California think tank) argues that the expeditions traveled through the world shaped by British imperialism, the expansion of European technological systems and economies, and the diffusion of Western institutions. He explores the interconnections between astronomical and imperial interests and the large scale social forces that shaped the experiences of the expeditions. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)