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Blood Moon 2022: Lunar Eclipse Myths From Around The World

Blood moon lunar eclipse

Khushboo Malhotra


The ‘Beaver’ Blood Moon lunar eclipse turned the moon into a mystical copper-red hue last month, and it was a breathtaking sight for the sky gazers and astrophiles.

The world witnessed this rare celestial phenomenon when the Sun, Earth, and Moon aligned so that Earth’s shadow envelopeed its sole satellite. It was visible across North America and parts of Australia, Asia, New Zealand, Alaska and Hawaii, the Pacific, and South and Central America.

It was a thrilling and chilling celestial event because the next total lunar eclipse won’t happen for another three years, until 14 March 2025.

The Significance of a Lunar Eclipse

Lunar eclipses have fascinated cultures all over the world as they hold great cultural and religious significance. They have influenced several myths and legends, many of which consider the event as an omen. Some cultures rigorously emphasise how one should behave during the lunar eclipse, from eating to sleeping and praying.

This does not come as a surprise, considering the consequential effects on us and our lives of anything that alters the regular rhythms of the sun, the moon and their trajectories. Here’s all you need to know about the blood moon as we explore some of these myths and beliefs.

What is a Blood Moon?

During a Blood Moon eclipse, the full moon moves into the shadow of Earth, cast by the sun, and gets darkened momentarily. Some sunlight still reaches the moon, refracted by Earth’s atmosphere. However, blue light from the Sun scatters away, and longer-wavelength red, orange, and yellow light pass through, turning our Moon red, illuminating it with an ashen to a dark red glow, the colour depending on atmospheric conditions. Called a “lunar tetrad” by astronomers, such a series of four consecutive total eclipses occurring at approximately six-month intervals is a fairly rare event.

Breaking the Myths & Superstitions

As a stargazer, the “Blood Moon” conjures images of a moon gleaming in crimson red colours. While it’s rare, it is not supernatural and nothing to make too much fuss about. Today, we celebrate such celestial occurrences with viewing activities, road excursions, and astronomy talks, but in the past, things were extremely different.

Lunar eclipses, however, piqued the interest of people since ancient times who made many interesting beliefs, myths, legends, and superstitions. Let’s analyse some of these and dispel their mystique!

Famous Folklores!

Myth Busters


Featured image courtesy of Yu Kato on Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to this image. 

Khushboo is a Twitter Editor at Empoword Journalism. She is an Award-nominated lifestyle and pop culture journalist, writer, and budding entrepreneur aiming to break down the boundaries of cultural stigma and shame attached to mental health and sexual health and bring marginalised topics to light. Send your stories, tips, and press announcements to khushboomalhotrafreelance@gmail.com

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