Hooked On The Shadow: A Solar Eclipse Documentary

Doors open at 9pm and are open until midnight. Hooked on the Shadow presents a view into the world of an obsessive subculture known as "eclipse chasers," whose lives have been transformed by what they see in the sky.

From the Caribbean Islands to the deserts of ancient Babylonia, Hooked on the Shadow takes us inside the shadow of the Moon to explore a powerful natural phenomenon that has fed our understanding and imagination in the sciences as well as our dreams. This film is included in the price of admission to the Exploratorium.

Hooked on the Shadow is only part of the Exploratorium's total solar eclipse program, which begins in the evening on July 31st, and continues through the wee hours on August 1st. Since the eclipse is not visible at all in the United States, San Francisco's Exploratorium brings its fifth eclipse expedition team to remote Xinjiang Province in Northwestern China, very close to the Mongolian border, where the Exploratorium will webcast the eclipse live to the world. This evening is both a celebration and party, a look at Chinese culture, and pure Sun-Earth Connection science. The celebration begins with astronomers, food, music, and of course, tea/caffeine, to keep you alert for the big event.

Films and solar science activities, like spectroscope making, will be held, as well as the sorts of traditional Chinese performances that mark special occasions, and in the name of science, roving astronomers to answer questions. Museum capacity is limited; we may sell out early. -- www.exploratorium.edu