Shadow bands are thin wavy lines of alternating light and dark that can be seen moving and undulating in parallel on plain-coloured surfaces immediately before and after a total solar eclipse. They are caused by the thin slit-like solar crescent illuminating the Earth's atmosphere moments before and after the eclipse totality, Their movement is caused by atmospheric winds.
In 2008, Dr. Stuart Eves suggested that shadow bands might be caused by infrasound, which involves the shadow of the moon travelling at supersonic speed, which in turn produces low frequency sound that humans cannot hear. Due to this, he theorized, the movement of the moon creates a shock-wave in front of the shadow, which causes shadow bands. Dr. Eves said "If proven, it would be a something of a revelation that eclipses are a sonic as well as an optical phenomenon." Professor Brian Jones stated "The [accepted] theory works, there's no need to seek an alternative".
Shadow bands have been noted throughout history: