Astronomical eclipses, and total solar eclipses in particular, have captured human interest since the dawn of civilization. This is mainly because they are remarkably easy to observe: the sudden darkening of the sky, the sharp drop in temperature, and the unusual behavior of animals are all phenomena that occur during the totality phase. From sheer terror to fascination and awe, eclipses have inspired a wide range of emotions and reactions, which humanity has expressed through countless cultural artifacts of many different kinds.
This year, the Spanish Astronomical Society (SEA) is preparing for the first of three solar eclipses that will be visible from the Iberian Peninsula in 2026, 2027, and 2028. This is an exceptionally fortunate circumstance, as the average interval between two total solar eclipses visible from the same location on Earth is approximately 375 years.
Within the SEA, the Cultural Astronomy Commission has set out to showcase some of the myriad artistic, historical, ethnographic, and scientific expressions inspired by eclipses that humans have created over thousands of years of history.
Through the project “A World of Eclipses,“ we have presented these human interpretations of eclipses in an interactive and engaging way, highlighting cultural expressions ranging from Prehistoric artifacts to artistic installations created in the twenty-first century. We have aimed to represent different cultures and historical periods as evenly as possible, although finding examples from Africa and Oceania has proved particularly challenging, perhaps because in some regions people were traditionally expected to remain indoors during eclipses.
Each entry includes a set of basic information, a brief explanation of the featured artifact, a photograph, and a link to a website where more detailed information can be found. To date, we have created more than 100 entries, designed both as educational resources for schools and as a source of enjoyment and discovery for the general public.
The map is an ongoing project, and we will continue to add new artifacts, especially those related to cultures that are currently underrepresented.
PhD in Physics from the University of Valencia. She worked as a postdoctoral researcher at research institutions in Germany, the United States, Australia, and Italy, where she specialized in the study of the intergalactic medium and galaxy clusters. She is currently a member of the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Valencia.
Her professional activity focuses on communicating astronomy to audiences of all kinds, with a particular emphasis on making science accessible to people with disabilities. She is a member of the Women and Astronomy and Cultural Astronomy commissions of the Spanish Astronomical Society. She has served as coordinator of the Equity and Inclusion Working Group of the International Astronomical Union and as the Spanish coordinator of the International Astronomical Union’s Office for Astronomy Outreach.
She received the 9 d’Octubre Award for Science from the Alberic City Council in 2018, the Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement with Planetary Science in 2019 for the development of tactile planetary models for blind and visually impaired people, and the 10th José María Savirón National Award for Excellence in Science Communication in 2022.