From giant frogs swallowing the sun, to celestial marriage counseling, the folklore surrounding solar eclipses can be pretty darn wild.
The oldest definitive solar eclipse on record dates back to around 1200 B.C.E., when people in China recorded eclipses on ox bones and tortoise shells. The Bible and the Quran both mention eclipses and connect them with significant events, including the crucifixion of Jesus and the birth of Muhammad.
For many ancient cultures, a solar eclipse was a sign of doom or destruction.
In Ancient Greek mythology, it was believed an eclipse meant the gods were angry or upset. In fact, the word “eclipse” comes from the Greek word meaning abandonment or disappearance.
The Greeks also believed demons had eaten the sun. Turns out, that was a pretty common explanation -- and fear -- of eclipses in many cultures.
In ancient China, the word “shih” meaning “to eat” described the eclipse as the sun being eaten by a dragon. In Yugoslavia it was a werewolf. In Siberia, a vampire. Native Americans believed a bear was the sun eater.
But my favorite, by far, is in Vietnam, where people believed a giant frog had swallowed the sun.
Eclipses don’t just signify doom and gloom everywhere, though.
Some cultures believed an eclipse was a kind of celestial marriage counseling. The sun and moon were understood to be a married couple working out their issues!
The next solar eclipse is happening on Monday, April 8 across much of North America. In Michigan, most of the state is not within the path of totality -- meaning most will only see a partial eclipse.
---> Look up your solar eclipse view by ZIP code using this cool NASA map