Eclipses in mythology and culture
While solar and lunar eclipses are today understood astronomically as one celestial body shadowing another, their appearance from Earth does not intuitively belie a similar cause for each.
[5] The periodicity of lunar eclipses been deduced by Neo-Babylonian astronomers in the sixth century BCE[6] and the periodicity of solar eclipses was deduced in first century BCE by Greek astronomers, who developed the Antikythera mechanism[7] and had understood the Sun, Moon, and Earth to be spherical celestial bodies[8] since Aristotle.
[10] As the event's lengthy duration and occurrence on the day of a full moon made it clear to contemporary believers that it could not be an eclipse, early Christians interpreted this as an omen and sign of Jesus's divinity.
[13] Christian eschatology makes mention of eclipse-like phenomena, where Revelation 6:12 describes how "the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood.
[21][22] Scholars have attempted to substantiate these mythological claims by through modern astronomical computation, and have not been able to find eclipses on the dates traditionally given for these events.
[24][25] Hindus generally believe that a grahana is a bad omen, and is considered the best time to chanting mantras that ward against evil.
Food is often prepared only after the passing of the eclipse, and conventions regarding consuming meals at given hours in the context of the event are prescribed in the Kurma Purana.
[28] Pregnant women are considered to be especially at risk to the effects of an eclipse and are expected to adhere more strictly to rituals to prevent birth deformities in their children.
[32] In Aztec mythology, solar eclipses occurred when the jaguar god Tepēyōllōtl consumed the sun and threatened to swallow it completely, according to Eduard Seler's analysis of the Codex Vaticanus B.
[35] Navajo people consider the time during an eclipse to be a sacred moment of renewal, and refrain from all activities including eating and drinking.
[41] As decentralized religious practices, there are no set prescribed rituals and adherents are free to explore their own exercises, which can include crystal charging,[42] imbuing water with energy,[43] and tarot card reading.
[44] For some Wicca practitioners, the spiritual nature of the solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 was an opportunity for political activism, casting spells against the administration of Donald Trump.
[53] By studying lunar phases and eclipses, students can learn about the sizes and relative distances between the Sun, Earth, and Moon.
[54] Solar eclipses happen at midday in narrow visibility bands, which allows educational organizations to plan daytime outreach events that will naturally reach large crowds.
Crowd-sourced experiments have included a test of radio wave propagation,[60] plant and animal reactions,[61] and air temperature measurements.
[62] Solar eclipses are best visible in a narrow band across the planet, which places a significant logistical burden on organizations and towns in the path of totality.
[63] Traffic congestion before and after a solar eclipse can be severe, with crowds numbering in the hundreds of thousands filling highways and spilling off into secondary roadways.
