Editing Lunar eclipse (section)

== In culture ==
{{main article|Eclipses in mythology and culture}}

Several cultures have [[myth]]s related to lunar eclipses or allude to the lunar eclipse as being a good or bad [[omen]]. The [[Egyptian mythology|Egyptians]] saw the eclipse as a sow swallowing the Moon for a short time; other cultures view the eclipse as the Moon being swallowed by other animals, such as a [[jaguar]] in [[Mayan mythology|Mayan]] tradition, or a mythical three-legged toad known as [[Jin Chan|Chan Chu]] in [[Chinese mythology|China]].{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} Some societies thought it was a demon swallowing the Moon, and that they could chase it away by throwing stones and curses at it.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Littmann |first1=Mark |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UOnH01tv078C |title=Totality Eclipses of the Sun |last2=Espenak |first2=Fred |last3=Willcox |first3=Ken |date=2008 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=978-0-19-953209-4 |edition=3rd |location=New York |chapter=Chapter 4: Eclipses in Mythology}}</ref> The [[Ancient Greece|Ancient Greeks]] correctly believed the Earth was round and used the shadow from the lunar eclipse as evidence.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.astro.umd.edu/openhouse/3about-the-obs/news/2003-11-10.html |title=Ancient Myths Revised with Lunar Eclipse |last=Pollack |first=Rebecca |publisher=University of Maryland |access-date=2 October 2014}}</ref> Some [[Hindus]] believe in the importance of bathing in the [[Ganges|Ganges River]] following an eclipse because it will help to achieve [[salvation]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://in.news.yahoo.com/hindus-dip-ganges-during-lunar-eclipse-105428179.html |title=Hindus take a dip in the Ganges during Lunar Eclipse |last=Ani |website=Yahoo News |access-date=2 October 2014}}</ref>

=== Inca ===
Similarly to the Mayans, the [[Inca Empire|Incans]] believed that lunar eclipses occurred when a jaguar ate the Moon, which is why a blood moon looks red. The Incans also believed that once the jaguar finished eating the Moon, it could come down and devour all the animals on Earth, so they would take spears and shout at the Moon to keep it away.<ref name="National Geographic">{{Cite web |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/04/140413-total-lunar-eclipse-myths-space-culture-science/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140417133236/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/04/140413-total-lunar-eclipse-myths-space-culture-science |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2014 |title=Lunar Eclipse Myths From Around the World |last=Lee |first=Jane |date=14 April 2014 |website=National Geographic |access-date=9 October 2014}}</ref>

=== Mesopotamians ===
The ancient [[Mesopotamia]]ns believed that a lunar eclipse was when the Moon was being attacked by seven demons. This attack was more than just one on the Moon, however, for the Mesopotamians linked what happened in the sky with what happened on the land, and because the king of Mesopotamia represented the land, the seven demons were thought to be also attacking the king. In order to prevent this attack on the king, the Mesopotamians made someone pretend to be the king so they would be attacked instead of the true king. After the lunar eclipse was over, the substitute king was made to disappear (possibly by [[poisoning]]).<ref name="National Geographic" />

=== Chinese ===
In some Chinese cultures, people would ring bells to prevent a [[Chinese dragon|dragon]] or other wild animals from biting the Moon.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/548133/20140415/lunar-eclipse-facts-myths-superstition-nasa.htm#.VC2MJyldXmU |title=Interesting Facts and Myths about Lunar Eclipse |last=Quilas |first=Ma Evelyn |newspaper=LA Times |access-date=2 October 2014}}</ref> In the 19th century, during a lunar eclipse, the [[Chinese navy]] fired its artillery because of this belief.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.lifeasmyth.com/journal_planet_Eclipse.html |title=Mythology of the Lunar Eclipse |website=LifeAsMyth.com}}</ref> During the [[Zhou dynasty|Zhou Dynasty]] ({{Circa}} 1046–256 BC) in the [[Classic of Poetry|''Book of Songs'']], the sight of a Red Moon engulfed in darkness was believed to foreshadow famine or disease.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-what-lunar-eclipse-means-in-different-parts-of-world-1555136 |title=What Lunar Eclipse Means in Different Parts of the World |last=Kaul |first=Gayatri |date=15 June 2011 |website=India.com |access-date=6 October 2014}}</ref>