I know of no such lore - in what region is this a "ancient" legend?
A total solar eclipse occurs approximately every 18 months somewhere on Earth. The duration of a total solar eclipse at any particular location is typically a few minutes.
No. There is nothing special about the eclipse that will hurt you eyes. Looking directly at the sun without is harmful to your eyes with or without an eclipse. The only reason such warnings come out before an eclipse is because that is the one time when people will be tempted to look at the sun.
There are generally 2 to 5 solar eclipses per year. However, not all eclipses are visible from the same location. Lunar eclipses are more frequent, with 2 to 4 visible per year from any single location.
It depends on the ancient culture you're referring to.Ancient China:It was believed that a dragon was eating the Sun to symbolise that famine and disease was coming. The Ancient Chinese who believed this would form defences around their land to ward off the dragon, preventing famine and disease from affecting them.They were also used to forecast predictions for the Chinese Emperors. Which was a very risky thing to do, because if you got the Emperor's forecast wrong, you were executed.Ancient Japan:Earthquakes.And sometimes, earthquakes do actually occur after an eclipse. Although nowadays there is a scientific explanation, related to enhanced gravitational pull during the eclipse, resulting in an earthquake.Superstitious Ancient Japanese would fire arrows at the eclipse to battle it. Later they even fired Tetsuho's at the eclipse.(Tetsuho's were the first Japanese gunpowder-firearms, a heavy and extremely inaccurate hand-held cannon).Ancient India:Bad luck for pregnant women.After an eclipse, pregnant women who were pregnant at the time of the event would be protected from doing household work such as weaving, cutting food, sewing and so on. This was to protect their unborn child from deformities and scars from the result of an eclipse-influenced accident.There were many rituals performed on pregnant women, such as various bathing techniques, to ward off the "unlucky curse".Ancient Arabia:Message: It's time to seek forgiveness.In Islam, the Sun and Moon are both connected to Allah's reverence.When an eclipse occurs, it was believed that Allah was expressing his desire for the sinful to seek forgiveness and bestow greatness upon him.Ancient Holy Roman Empire:It was believed that an eclipse symbolised the wrath of God, casting his anger over man.It was also seen as a threat from God to Mankind, "I am angry, appease me or Judgement Day will come".Some Christians still believe this despite scientific evidence explaining the real reasons for the eclipse.Ancient Babylon:The Ancient Babylonians were one of the only ancient civilisations to get the facts about eclipses correct.They were the first civilisation to discover that eclipses were a celestial event, not something caused by Gods or omens.Ancient Babylonian astronomers were able to successfully forecast solar and lunar eclipses.Ancient Egypt.Nobody really knows.Most of our knowledge of Ancient Egypt comes from tomb paintings and temple inscriptions. There are various theories about what Ancient Egyptians knew or thought about solar eclipses, but none of them have solid proof.The evidence of most Egyptian knowledge, including what they knew about astronomy, mathematics and medicine, was lost in the fire of the Great Library of Alexandria.
This event is called a solar eclipse. During a solar eclipse, the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sunlight and casting a shadow on Earth's surface. This causes a temporary darkening of the sky in the regions where the eclipse is visible.
Eclipse will come out June 30,2010 and the trailer will come out in May 20
the movie eclipse will come out on June 30th 2010
Come out as in gay? no. But yes he is in the film Twilight Eclipse.
We have had an eclipse
When will Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer come out in paperback?
Yes. Victoria comes back in Eclipse (and dies in Eclipse).
yes
Eclipse comes out June 30th
Eclipse is out on the 9th of July, In Scotland anyway!
Eclipse comes out in the UK on July 9th.
Eclipse Comes out on DVD December 4th
Eclipse will come out in November in time for Christmas