Name: Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon
Author: Stephan Martin

Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon is a luminous journey into deep time, wonder, and belonging, weaving together personal narrative, contemporary cosmology, and ecological reflection.

Astronomer and storyteller Stephan Martin recounts a pilgrimage to witness a total solar eclipse in Baja California - alongside his young son - that becomes a doorway into a much larger story: the unfolding of the universe itself and our place within it.

Moving fluidly between stargazing, desert landscapes, ocean encounters, and everyday moments of fatherhood, the book invites readers to experience the cosmos not as distant or abstract, but as intimate, relational, and alive. At once memoir, cosmic meditation, and ecological awakening, Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon reveals how moments of awe can awaken a deeper sense of belonging and guide us toward living in closer relationship with Earth and cosmos.

Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon book cover

Monkfish Publishing Book Page Preorder from Indiepubs Preorder from BookShop Preorder from Amazon Get Release Updates

Advance Praise

"This is a wonderful and truly unique book about the search for connection. Steve has skillfully woven together the story of witnessing a solar eclipse with tender anecdotes of his father-son relationship, and awe-inspiring contemplations of the deepest workings and meanings of the universe derived from the latest scientific understanding. All he writes is in service of helping us find deeper connection - to ourselves, to loved ones, friends, the land we live on and the entire cosmos. His writing touched my heart in so many ways."
- Dr. Mark Westmoquette, Astrophysicist, Zen teacher and mindful stargazing guide

"Steve Martin's moving account of witnessing a lunar eclipse with his son highlights a rare and intimate cosmo-ecological moment. His deep understanding of the universe story, as it is embedded in such an event, makes for engaging and illuminating reading. We are drawn into this eclipse experience with a fresh awareness of our belonging within Earth's living community amid the vast unfolding universe."
- Mary Evelyn Tucker, co-author of Journey of the Universe book and film; Co-director, Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology

"Reading Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon, I felt like I was carried along with Stephan Martin, astronomer and mystic, his son Lavender, and fellow seekers on their journey to Baja California. Drumming, dancing, ritual, and swimming with dolphins all led toward four minutes and twenty seconds of awe beneath the darkened sky. Through Stephan's expansive vision, we come to realize that all life forms participate in the great unfolding universe. Diversity is essential, and communion among all Earthlings is the only way forward. An elegant, powerful, and deeply poignant book."
- The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress, Author of Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice