A total solar eclipse is probably the most spectacular
astronomical event that most people will experience in their
lives. There is a great deal of interest in watching eclipses,
and thousands of astronomers (both amateur and professional)
travel around the world to observe and photograph them. A solar
eclipse offers students a unique opportunity to see a natural
phenomenon that illustrates the basic principles of mathematics
and science that are taught through elementary and secondary
school. Indeed, many scientists (including astronomers!) have
been inspired to study science as a result of seeing a total
solar eclipse. Teachers can use eclipses to show how the laws of
motion and the mathematics of orbital motion can predict the
occurrence of eclipses. The use of pinhole cameras and
telescopes or binoculars to observe an eclipse leads to an
understanding of the optics of these devices. The rise and fall
of environmental light levels during an eclipse illustrate the
principles of radiometry and photometry, wh