There will be a total lunar eclipse tonight (June 15th) that will be visible from Cyprus, weather permitting, said the Meteorogical Service.

It will start just after 10pm.

Lunar eclipses occur when the moon passes behind the earth, so that the earth blocks the sun’s rays from striking the moon. It can only happen when the sun, earth and moon are exactly aligned – with the Earth in the middle.

The last lunar eclipse was on December 21st, 2010. According to Wikipedia, a lunar eclipse lasts for a few hours and some of them have been associated with important historical events.

In Greece, there are many historical and ancient references to lunar eclipses. For example, during the Second Battle of Syracuse (in Sicily) on 28th June, 413 BC, there was a lunar eclipse as the Athenians were preparing to sail home. They decided to stay in Syracuse on the advice of some priests, but were attacked and defeated by Syracusan forces.

The defeat was taken as a sign that the Athenian forces were waning, and the Spartans made an alliance with Persia after the Athenian democracy was overthrown and replaced with an oligarchy.

Christofer Columbus used the lunar eclipse to terrify native tribes in Jamaica into giving food supplies to his crew. Using his knowledge of astrological phenomena, he told the natives that his god would inflame the moon with wrath because he was angry at their behaviour. The eclipse and red moon appeared on schedule and frightened the tribes into obeying Columbus

Source: Cyprus News Report

Leave a Reply