There will be a lunar eclipse on 8 October, 2014.
A lunar eclipse happens when the Moon passes directly behind the Earth – this only happens when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are exactly aligned with the Earth in the middle.
It can only happen when there is a full moon.
A lunar eclipse lasts a few hours and can be seen anywhere on the ‘night-side- of the Earth.
Christopher Columbus
When Christopher Columbus went to Jamaica, he wanted the local people to be in awe of him – to appear god-like to them – he needed their hospitality to survive.
He wanted to appear ‘mighty’ to the people because they were ‘out-staying, their welcome by eating all the people’s food, and they were refusing to feed them anymore.
On 29 February, 1504, he was able to predict the March 1504 Lunar Eclipse. He proclaimed to the people of Jamaica that he would make the moon disappear. He was able to predict this accurately because of astronomical tables available at the time.
When the eclipse happened, the local people begged Columbus to make the moon return. Using his astronomical tables again, he ‘brought back’ the moon after its eclipse.
Columbus and his crew were given the food they desired!
A total eclipse of the moon is a ‘reddish clour , so is sometimes called a ‘blood moon’.
Here’s a video from NASA explaining why it happens.
