Superstition lies in solar eclipse’s shadow
| July 22, 2009 | 12:05 PM
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Millions of people across Asia and the Pacific Ocean were witness to a total solar eclipse Wednesday as the moon crossed between Earth and the sun. It lasted more than six minutes in some places and is the longest such eclipse of the 21st century.
The eclipse sent people scurrying outside to see it, but it also prompted some hysteria among those who attribute superstitious significance to the event. In India, for instance, a woman was killed when thousands stampeded to the Ganges River to bathe in the water and cleanse their souls as the moon’s shadow fell across the Earth.
Let’s weed out a little eclipse science vs. superstition:
India: An eclipse is caused when dragon-demons swallow the sun, causing birth defects in unborn children and making food and water inedible. Superstition.
China: A river bank in Yanguan village was the site of the world’s largest tidal bore, where a wave of water runs against the river’s currents. Science — sort of. However, tidal bores also can be triggered by any very high tide, and they can occur in other parts of the world.
Bangkok: Eclipses are bad omens that require prayers to ward off evil. Superstition.
Myanmar: People who sleep through the eclipse risk bringing on bad luck. Superstition.
China: Solar eclipses are caused by a “heavenly dog devouring the sun,” a bad omen that can predict a government coup or natural disaster. Superstition.
Japan: Livestock head to the feed troughs as darkness falls across the land. Science. The animals thought it was night, thus time for feeding.
asia, astronomy, pacific, science, solar eclipse, superstition
