Seasons and Eclipses

SEASONS AND ECLIPSES
Location of the Earth at different

times of the year.
Myths and Superstitions Around Solar Eclipses
Solar eclipse have caused fear, inspired curiosity, and have been
associated with myths, legends, and superstitions throughout history.
Even today, an eclipse of the Sun is considered a bad omen in many
cultures.
Ancient Explanation for Solar Eclipse
Ancient cultures tried to understand why the Sun temporarily

vanished from the sky, so they came up with various reasons for what
caused a solar eclipse.
In many cultures, the legends surrounding solar eclipses involve

mythical figures eating or stealing the Sun. Others interpreted the
event as a sign of angry or quarreling gods.
Hungry Demons, Thieving Dogs
In Vietnam, people believed that a solar eclipse was caused by a giant

frog devouring the Sun, while Norse cultures blamed wolves for eating
the Sun.
In ancient China, a celestial dragon was thought to lunch on the Sun,
causing a solar eclipse. In fact, the Chinese word of an
eclipse, chih or shih, means to eat.
According to ancient Hindu mythology, the deity Rahu is beheaded by
the gods for capturing and drinking Amrita, the gods' nectar. Rahu's
head flies off into the sky and swallows the Sun causing an eclipse.
Korean folklore offers another ancient explanation for solar eclipses. It
suggests that solar eclipses happen because mythical dogs are trying to
steal the Sun.
Traditionally, people in many cultures get together to bang pots and
pans and make loud noises during a solar eclipse. It is thought that
making a noise scares the demon causing the eclipse away.
Native American Solar Eclipse Myths and Legends
The Pomo, an indigenous group of people who live in

the northwestern United States, tell a story of a bear
who started a fight with the Sun and took a bite out of
it. In fact, the Pomo name for a solar eclipse is Sun
got bit by a bear.
After taking a bite of the Sun and resolving their
conflict, the bear, as the story goes, went on to meet
the Moon and take a bite out of the Moon as well,
causing a lunar eclipse. This story may have been
their way of explaining why a solar eclipse happens
about around 2 weeks before or after a lunar eclipse.
Angry Sun
The ancient Greeks believed that a solar eclipse
was a sign of angry gods and that it was the
beginning of disasters and destruction.
How superstition influenced the course of history
The Tewa tribe from New Mexico in the United
States believed that a solar eclipse signaled an
angry Sun who had left the skies to go to his house
in the underworld.
Quarreling Sun and Moon
According to Inuit folklore, the Sun
goddess Malina walked away after a fight with the
Moon god Anningan. A solar eclipse happened
when Anningan managed to catch up with his sister.
The Batammaliba, who live in Benin and Togo,
used a solar eclipse as a teaching moment.
According to their legends, an eclipse of the Sun
meant that the Sun and the Moon were fighting and
that the only way to stop them from hurting each
other was for people on Earth to resolve all
conflicts with each other.
Modern Day Sun Superstitions
Fear of solar eclipses still exists today. Many
people around the world still see eclipses as evil
omens that bring death, destruction, and disasters.
A popular misconception is that solar eclipses
can be a danger to pregnant women and their
unborn children. In many cultures, young children
and pregnant women are asked to stay indoors
during a solar eclipse.
In many parts of India, people fast during a solar
eclipse due to the belief that any food cooked while
an eclipse happens will be poisonous and unpure.
Not all superstitions surrounding solar eclipses
are about doom. In Italy, for example, it is believed
that flowers planted du
No Scientific Basis
Scientists and astronomers around the world
have debunked any such claims. There is no
scientific evidence that solar eclipses can affect
human behavior, health, or the environment.
Scientists, however, do emphasize that anyone
watching a solar eclipse must protect their eyes.

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SEASONS AND ECLIPSES

Location of the Earth at different

Ancient Explanation for Solar Eclipse

Ancient cultures tried to understand why the Sun temporarily

In many cultures, the legends surrounding solar eclipses involve

In Vietnam, people believed that a solar eclipse was caused by a giant

The Pomo, an indigenous group of people who live in

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