A Once In a Lifetime Experience

As a once-in-a-lifetime experience approaches, schools hand out Solar Eclipse glasses and students prepare to watch the sun transform for a few short minutes. This event viewed from our homes other than a magnificent view causes no other effects on our life other than a possible drop in temperature and a slight increase in wind speed. We have no reasons to fear the eclipse today but, before all of our modern knowledge, there were many conspiracies and reasons to dread the day.

One of the earliest eclipses documented took place in the Mesopotamian Era and caused a great disturbance. It was seen as a sign that the gods were angered or saddened by its people. As the people watched from earth it looked to them as if a beast was attacking the sun. This image could have been perceived as a punishment from their gods. Misbehaviors could cause the gods to destroy their sun and ultimately destroy them as punishment. 

In defense of the supernatural attack in more recent history the Chippewa natives in North America would shoot flaming arrows in the sky as to reignite the sun if it was to be put out by the beast. In Cambodia, soldiers shot their guns to the sky and hoped to scare away the mythical creature attempting to attack the sun. 

In other parts of the world such as Japan and Transylvania the citizens saw this event as poison or a plague falling from the sky. Other health side effects said to be caused were pregnancy deficiencies. Pregnant women were told to stay inside and not consume anything. Now in modern times, we know the only real fear is the damage to your eyes. 

Although these theories sound ridiculous to us there have still been recent ideas that the eclipse could cause earthquakes or severe storms. It was thought that the eclipse also affected the moon's path and triggered gravitational tides.

This is your sign to keep your eyes safely covered and to the sky on April 8th. Pay careful attention and have your bows at the ready just in case these ancient empires were right, you might find a mythical face poking out from being the sun.