The first solar eclipse of the year will begin today (February 17) at 03:26 pm and will end at 07:57 pm.
Solar eclipse is viewed differently in different countries of the world. At some places it is considered inauspicious and at some places it is considered a symbol of the anger of the gods. The first solar eclipse of the year will begin today (February 17) at 03:26 pm and will end at 07:57 pm. Even though it will not be seen in India, there are different types of beliefs regarding it here too.
In ancient Greece, a solar eclipse was considered a sign of the anger of the gods. The belief was that if a solar eclipse has occurred, it means God is angry. This was considered a bad omen of bad times to come. The word eclipse comes from the Greek word eklepsis, which means “to be abandoned.”
This word also served to strengthen the beliefs. The strange beliefs related to solar eclipse were not limited to Greece only, they spread in the form of different stories in many countries of the world.
Death penalty for wrong prediction in China
In ancient times, the importance of solar eclipse was much greater in China. Solar and lunar eclipses were considered divine signs of the future of the emperor, so predicting eclipses was of utmost importance for the empire. According to one legend, more than four millennia ago, two astrologers, Hsi and Ho, were sentenced to death for failing to predict a solar eclipse.
Ring of fire is formed during solar eclipse. Photo: CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
According to the University of Dallas, USA, in the 5th century BC, the historian Herodotus noted that the Greek philosopher Thales (about 624-547 BC) had predicted the solar eclipse of May 28, 585 BC, which ended the conflict between the Lydians and the Medians.
Herodotus wrote: “…suddenly the day changed into night. This event was predicted by the Milesian philosopher Thales, who had informed the Ionians about it in advance and had also determined the year in which the event occurred. When both the Medians and the Lydians saw this change, they stopped fighting and were eager to agree on a peace treaty.”
Solar eclipse. Photo: Miguel Martínez Corona/ObturadorMX/Getty Images
Superstition of king’s death on solar eclipse
A solar eclipse occurred on August 2, 1133, and King Henry I of England died shortly thereafter, leading to the spread of the superstition that eclipses were bad omens for kings. The Pomo, an indigenous people living in the northwestern part of America, tell an interesting story.According to the story, a bear started a fight with Surya and bit him. The Pomo people know the solar eclipse by the line “The sun was bitten by a bear”.
sun-moon battle
According to the Batammariba people who live in Benin and Togo in West Africa, the Sun and the Moon fight each other during a solar eclipse. He believes that the only way to stop this conflict is for the people living on Earth to resolve their differences. In Italy it is believed that flowers planted during a solar eclipse are brighter and more colorful than those planted at any other time of the year.
Where will it be seen?
Solar eclipse will not be visible in India. It can be seen in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia, Mauritius, Argentina, Tanzania, Chile as well as South American countries. Ring of fire will also be seen during the solar eclipse. This ring is formed when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun during a solar eclipse. Due to which a bright ring of fire will be visible around the Sun. It is called Ring of Fire.
Also read: How is a ring of fire like blazing fire formed in a solar eclipse? The view will be visible today
