Cycles in the Sky

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Cycles in the Sky

Solar Eclipses

Through Space

and Time

Lou Mayo, NASA/GSFC

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Chinese astrologers wrote of an eclipse occurring over 4000 years ago.

Historians and astronomers believe that this was an eclipse that happened on 22 October 2134 B.C.

Two astrologers at the time, Hsi and Ho, had apparently failed to predict this eclipse, and so were beheaded.

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"Nothing can be sworn impossible since Zeus made night during mid-day, hiding the light of the shining Sun." - Archilochus 648 BC

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Ancient Meaning

Solar eclipse have been generally explained in one of four ways:

A celestial being, usually a monster, attempts to destroy the Sun

The Sun fights with its lover the Moon

The Sun and the Moon make love and discreetly hide themselves in darkness

The Sun grows angry, sad, sick, or neglectful

Littmann and Willcox, “Totality”

Norse mythology: the wolflike giant Sköll follows the Sun hoping to devour it.

Ancient Egypt: the evil god Set was thought to have leapt into the eye of the Sun god, Horus.

Ancient China: A heavenly dog ate the Sun.

Chippewa Indians shot flaming arrows at the Sun hoping to rekindle the flames.

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BASIC ECLIPSE GEOMETRY

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Perigee

Apogee

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