People are divided into two camps. Some rational part of the soul makes skeptical look at all unscientific explanations and interpretations of natural processes. Others (a lot of them) believe in life there is a place of mystery! They believe in the supernatural, in the predestination of fate and horoscopes. Such people are many, who otherwise would have printed the daily horoscopes? How do you feel about predictions, and mysterious phenomena of nature?
Whatever camp you may belong, an event that will happen tonight, excites everyone. We are waiting for the second total lunar Eclipse in 2018, which will last 103 minutes and is the longest in the twenty-first century. Unfortunately, US residents will not be seen, as the Eclipse will happen when we have a day. Will have to wait until 2019, when there will be another one. Today, July 27, 2018, for the longest Eclipse of the XXI century will be able to see the inhabitants of Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and South America.
Why is a lunar Eclipse even 200-300 years ago caused a real panic? It’s not just superstition. The moon is a particularly reliable source of night lighting. She is always in the sky in the dark, so at night you can not move in the darkness, and the cold Golden light. Now imagine that at one moment the light was gone! Electricity did not exist. This meant absolutely dark, dangerous night could happen anywhere.
But even the disappearance of the moon from the night sky did not cause our ancestors such horror, as when the moon appeared red, bloody stains! There is already no rationality is not enough, not to panic. Of course, today we know that this strange event just means that the moon passes through the shadow of our planet and can not reflect the light of the sun. And although we still like to watch the Eclipse, it is absolutely not scary. If you do not know some of the stories about «blood moons» of the past, of course…
Lunar Eclipse as a sign
The first mention of the full lunar Eclipse was discovered in ancient scrolls from China. The Eclipse took place on 29 January, in 1136 BC according to one source, and in 1059 year for others. It happened during the reign of the last king of the Shang dynasty. The moon was considered an important omen in Chinese culture. So the Eclipse is explained as a sign of vassal to king Wen of the Zhou dynasty that it was his time to challenge his master Shang and to remove him from the throne. And so it happened.
Eclipse of the moon as a warning of the gods
On 27 August 413 BC, a lunar Eclipse has caused a catastrophe for the ancient Greek (Athenian) army. Troops were in Sicily, fighting with the forces of Syracuse. Honestly, things are already going badly. Among the soldiers burst into a sudden epidemic that killed the Greek ranks are worse than the enemy. Army commander Niklas took the decision to retreat. The Greek army was going to leave Sicily. He planned his departure in the night, and all is likely well, if not for the coming total Eclipse of the moon.
The soldiers panicked and quickly found himself before the enemy, because instead of heading to their ships, as planned, began to shout and pray, mistaking the full moon for the warning from the gods about impending trouble. And trouble was not long in coming – the enemy’s army quickly captured Athenian soldiers panicked before they could leave the island.
The first attempts of manipulation by Eclipse
Naturally, such a significant natural phenomenon as a total lunar Eclipse, could not be a cause for manipulation. One of such cases was encountered in the XIV century the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Bradwardine who was both a scientist and a priest. At that time already was a very popular astronomy, so the manipulators had very little chance.
Lovely summer night in the year 1349, the moon suddenly disappeared from the sky. And that immediately rushed to take advantage of one of the parishioners of the Archbishop. She approached him with this proposal, «Reward me and forgive my sins, or I tell the Sun not to Shine anymore.» Thomas Bradwardine at the time were trained by Arab astronomers, the best at the time, so he doesn’t fell for the trick of this artful woman. He made her a counteroffer: «Tell me exactly when the Sun will cease to Shine in your decree – and I’ll believe you. Or I’ll tell you when the Sun or Moon will be hidden, in which part of the world will begin the darkness as it spreads and how long it will take». To the XIV century, it was quite a bold statement, could, in fact, he himself is accused of witchcraft and burn, but it worked! So Thomas Bradwardine proved that the greatest magic and the most powerful magic is knowledge.
Christian prejudices
With the emergence of Christianity 2,000 years ago, a total lunar Eclipse was 100% foreshadowing of the coming troubles and misfortunes. Biggest fear about the so-called «blood moon», which the Christians identified with the wrath of God, often associating with the crucifixion of Jesus. Even today many religions of the «blood moon» is a harbinger of the day of judgment.
Interesting fact: the great feast of Easter is always celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full-moon of spring, which guarantees the absence this day of the lunar eclipses.
The term «blood moon» was popularized in 2013 after the release of the book «blood moon» of John Haji. It promotes an apocalyptic faith, known as «the Prophecy of blood moons» which underlined the fact that all four total lunar eclipses occurring in 2014-2015, coincided with major Jewish holidays (at the time of publication of the book the author used the forecasts). Later it turned out that every such Eclipse was marked by bad events.
