Ahead of the solar eclipse on 12 August, we shed some light on a pioneering film from 1900 which is believed to be the earliest surviving astronomical film. In this piece from our August 2019 issue, Bryony Dixon explores its backstory and how early cinema mixed science, entertainment and magic. Film, like magic, combines art and science. The solar eclipse was a powerful icon in both magic and science. Solar Eclipse (1900)Solar Eclipse (1900)Solar Eclipse (1900)Nevil Maskelyne presented his findings to the British Astronomical Association and the RAS.