Eclipse

It been recorded historically over 4,500 years ago by Egyptians and Chinese ancients that this phenomenon occurs at least twice a year (“Myths and Legends Eclipse”, 2012). But people never get bored to see it appears. It was supposed to last a few minutes but it could not have been true. It only seems to last eight seconds (Sperling, 1980). The ancient believes it was a bad omen (“Myths and Legends Eclipse”, 2012). But today, it called an astronomical event happened around the world. It called the eclipse. The astronomer can calculate the dates and paths of future and past eclipses with great accuracy using the astronomical computations. In addition they also can measure the rate of earth spin about it axis over the past millennium that have been recorded by the ancient astrology and astronomer (Milan, 2006). There is much information about eclipse such as it definition, types of eclipse, benefits and side effects of eclipse and mythology about it.

Eclipse is an obscuring of the light from one celestial body by the passage of another between it and the observer or between it and its source of illumination (“Eclipse Geeks”, 2010-2013). Besides that, eclipse phenomenon been saying occur when an object gets in between you and another object and it is also block your view (“StarChild Question”, 1999). It also been supported by Macmillan English Dictionary (2007, p.470) that eclipse is a short period of time because of the positions of the sun, moon and earth related to each other resulting all part both sun and moon dark. Beside that according to Ron Hispschman (n.d) it happens when the moon, the sun and the earth in a position of direct alignment. From the Earth, human kind will experience two kinds of eclipse routinely which are Lunar eclipse and Solar eclipse  and both are related to events that involving three celestial bodies: the Sun (solar), the Moon (lunar) and the Earth (“Eclipse Geek”, 2010). It been stated that Solar eclipse is an occasion when the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun which make  all or part of the Sun cannot be see for a time (Oxford Student Dictionary, 2011, p.223). In addition, a solar eclipse can happen when the Moon state between the Sun and the observer (“Space Science”, n.d.) and considered as solar eclipse when the surface of the Earth is being intersected by the shadow cone of the Moon where anyone can observe this shadow zone. In other hands, lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon and throws dark shadow across the Moon it automatically called lunar eclipse (“Starchild Question”, 1999).

An eclipse can be various in types such as total, partial and annular. There are there types of solar eclipse and the most commonly seen is the Partial Solar Eclipse (PSE). Only a portion of the sun’s surface will be covered during PSE (“Eclipse Chasers”, n.d.). As the moon at its furthest point in orbit, an Annular Solar Eclipse (ASE) takes place (“StarChild Question”, 1999). Actually the Moon’s shadow consist two-coned shaped areas, known as the umbra and the penumbra (“Space Science”, n.d.). Last but not least is the Total Solar Eclipse (TSE). This kind of eclipse happen when the bright surface is completely covered and surrounding the shadow TSE is a PSE (“Eclipse Chasers”, n.d.). Lunar eclipse also has its types itself which are called total, partial and penumbral eclipse. It is been reported that total lunar eclipse occurred on May 16 2003 (Espenak ,2007) where the entire of the Moon passes through the Earth’s umbra shadow. Besides that, when a portion of the Moon across the Earth’s umbra shadows it occurs partial lunar and dark red or rust colour or a charcoal grey may appear on the shadowed portion of lunar surface, but depending on the size of the eclipse (“Types of Lunar Eclipse”, 2004).

Before and after a total lunar eclipse or during the partial phases, a similar visual effect can be seen. Lastly, is a penumbral lunar eclipse when the Moon has to pass through Earth’s penumbral shadow to make this penumbral eclipse appeared (“Different Kinds of Lunar Eclipse”, 2014). This type of eclipse only be seen when at least half of the Moon entered the penumbra (“Types of Lunar”, 2000).

Actually there are variety benefits of eclipse especially solar eclipse. On May 29^th 1919 solar eclipse has proven the Gravitational Lensing phenomenon that being predicted by Albert Einstein in his General Relativity Theory (McKie, 2011). Other than that, solar eclipse help human kinds calibrate their universal timing, leading to benefits like Global Positioning System (GPS) by get connection from artificial satellites in orbit to GPS terrestrial stations that are located on Earth (“Solar Eclipse”, 2013). So this mean, even solar eclipse can prevent you from getting lost. Additionally, it gives clues about specific dates and certain historical events when studying the history of solar eclipse and calculating the cycles of modern and future ones (“History and Mythology”, 2006). Solar eclipse make easy for scientist to identify important dates of wars, deaths, and crowning especially for the early ancient like Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Chinese. Furthermore in Radio astronomy field, partial solar are very useful and very important phenomenon of solar storm in details could be study by using Radio telescope (RT s) (“Solar Eclipse”, 2013).  However satellites can be damage and technological development could be harm due to these storms.

Besides that, people nowadays love and waiting to watch this phenomenal to appreciate and to learn more about eclipse. However there are side effects that can danger human health if looked directly to the sun (solar) without proper precautions. Chou B.R. (as cited in Pitts, 1993) found that solar radiation that reaches our earth`s surface have longer ultraviolet (UV) that may lead to “Eclipse Blindness” or retinal burns and some case cataracts as ultraviolet (UV) accelerates aging of eye`s outer layer. In addition, Chou B.R. (as cited from Chou (1981, 1996) and Marsh, 1982) also found that there are no pain after retina is being exposed to intense visible light as it should cause the loss of ability to respond to a visual stimulus, because there are no pain receptors in the retina therefore, people do not feel and knew what actual happen to them. Total solar eclipse actually gives a chance to view the sun safely with naked eye where the moon completely covers the disk of the sun. However moon (lunar) eclipse will not be harmful to the eye, although during partial lunar eclipse, the moon is glowing in reddish copper disk. It seems dangerous but not actually. It was cause by clouds and dust which obstruct the incoming rays from the moon (Al-Kaheel, n.d).

An astronomer, Dr Robert Massey (n.d) in the British Astronomical assembly announced that “we the scientists don`t value this phenomenon, but many people enjoys watching it” he concluded this result after many years of research and studies. That is the reason for many mythologies about eclipse. Once, Malay old folk said the pregnant woman cannot stand outside the house during eclipse, afraid the baby will have two skin tones colour which are half black and half white (Swettenham, 2003). This believes is called a mythology. Mythology is a set of beliefs held by many people although they are not true and a collection of ancient myths, especially those of a particular country and/or religion (Macmillan English Dictionary, 2007, p.990). There are many famous mythologies in the world about eclipse such as from ancient Chinese, Hindu and others.

In ancient Chinese, eclipse is called “Shih”. It mean “to eat”, the ancient Chinese astrology and astronomer describe solar eclipse as the sun has been eaten while lunar eclipse as the dragon attacks the moon (“Total Eclipses”, 2006). It also a sign from heaven about the emperor future, it associated with bad omen that related to natural disasters or deaths in empire family (Al-Kaheel, n.d).

The ancient Chinese will use bang drums and pots to make loud noise to scared whatever was swallowing the sun and the moon to go away and it has been supported by Nancy Maryboy, President of the Indigenous Education Institute on San Juan Island, Washington. The ancient also shoot an arrows toward the sky to scared the animal while back to 19 century, Chinese Navy fired its cannons during lunar eclipse to scare the dragon (“Eclipse History”, n.d). There are many similar myth about the moon and the sun is attack by animal such as the Viking believe a pair of sky wolves chasing both sun and moon (Lee, 2013) while the Inca believe the moon is being attacked and ate by jaguar. The Inca will beat their dog to make them howl and bark (Lee, 2014). Both this myth used same method with ancient Chinese to chase out the animal that attack the moon and sun.

In addition, as the ancient Chinese believe solar eclipse related with the emperor fated. The ancient Mesopotamians saw the lunar eclipse as an assault on the moon. E.C. Krupp, director of the Griffith Observatory in LA, California (Lee, 2014) said they linked everything happen in sky with earth as it would effects the king of Mesopotamian, The representative of Mesopotamian land. He also said they would install a surrogate king to bear the brunt of any attack as the real one will masqueraded as an ordinary citizen, so after the event ended the surrogate king will disappeared and the real king will rule back the kingdom.

Other than that, in ancient India, there is story about demon Rahu, who disguises himself as god to steal an immortal elixir but the sun and moon saw it and report to god Vishnu. He then slices off his head before the elixir pass down his throat as a consequence, Rahu’s head turns immortal but not his body as said by E.C. Krupp, director of the Griffith Observatory in LA, California (Lee, 2013). The ancient believed the demons Rahu and Ketu (Ketu is a priest who save Rahu) swallowed the sun during solar eclipse because they were angry with sun and moon (Kochhar, 2010). They also believed that Rahu and Ketu sucked the life – giving sight and poisoned food and water. So, they will fast and pray when the solar eclipse happen and take bath and cook when it over. Some Indian wills immersing themselves in water as a religious ritual to help sun struggle against the dragon (“Total Eclipses”, 2006).

This ritual still happen today as the last total solar eclipse happen on 22 July 2009 where it passed the hemisphere through India and China where thousands of people took their way through the narrow alleys of the ancient holy city of Varanasi, the Hindu gathered to dip themselves in the Ganges River (Al-Kaheel, n.d).

However not all cultures view an eclipse as a bad thing. Jarita Holbrook, a cultural astronomer at the University of The Western Cape in Bellville, South Africa said “the myth from the Batammaliba people in Togo and Benin is about a fight between sun and moon, the people encourage them to stop and they see it as a time of coming together and resolving old feuds and anger”(Lee, 2014). Other than that, in Islam culture, the prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) said “the sun and moon both are signs of God greatness that do not eclipse for the death or life of anybody even for me and my son”. This is result of an event which related to Ibraheem death, Prophet Mohammad’s son (Al-Kaheel, n.d).

In conclusion, there is much information about how the sun, moon and earth directly align to let the eclipse event to occur. This phenomenal had been discovered and studied by our great ancestors until today, yet there is still unknown reason and effects of eclipse to the earth weather it bring benefits or disasters to humans. While the ancient cultures saw solar and lunar eclipses as a challenge to the normal order of things, which the things that should not be happen is happening as said by E.C. Krupp, director of the Griffith Observatory in LA, California (Lee, 2014). The eclipse is a natural phenomenon that should be appreciated as one of the secret of the galaxy that is yet to be solved.

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