For ancient people, eclipses were odd and inexplicable, even terrifying. Some cultures saw lunar eclipses as signs of celestial wrath that portended famine or disease.

The Chinese word for eclipse is chih, which means "to eat." One can imagine that the bloody cast of the Moon in some eclipses only added to the fear of what was going on. Even into the 19^th Century, the Chinese navy fired cannons to scare off the dragon they imagined was eating the Moon.

Next: Myths persist today