Selene - Blood Moon

Selene in Greek mythology (in Greek Σελήνη) is the goddess of the moon.  The etymology of Selene is likely connected to the word Selas (Σέλας), meaning "light". Selene, who drives her chariot across the heavens, in classical times, was often identified with Artemis much as her brother, Helios, was identified with Apollo. Selene’s love for handsome mortal shepherd Endymion inspired poets and artists alike.  Even today romantics express their feelings on nights when the moon is in full and its light reflects on the water. (Painting by N Poussin 1630, Detroit Institute of Arts)

On July 27, 2018 in Europe, Africa and some countries in Asia we observed the longest total lunar eclipse of the century. As the Earth was into perfect alignment between the moon and sun, its shadow completely covered the moon. Rather than appearing as a black spot in the heavens our planet’s only natural satellite first exuded a blood-red hue at moonrise.   Normally, sunlight hits the moon directly and that's why it's typically bright and white.  During an eclipse, the Earth moves between the sun and the moon and filters out some its light.  When the white light hits the Earth's atmosphere, it scatters the blue light and pushes the red light straight to the moon and so the blood moonrises.  The picture was taken when the moon rose behind and above the islet Rafti in the bay of Porto Rafti.  The blood moon and the total eclipse that followed with an awesome spectacle and it was understandable why our ancestors reacted with fear when celestial events like lunar or solar eclipses took place.

People long ago took a change in lunar hue as a sign of doom and panicked.  An interesting but unsubstantiated story is about how Christopher Columbus took a lunar eclipse to his advantage.  Columbus and his men were trapped on the island of Jamaica for over six months. As time wore on, the initial generosity that the native people, the Arawak, had shown faded. As famine loomed, Columbus turned to his almanac and found that a total lunar eclipse was forthcoming on Feb 29, 1504.  So, Columbus told the Arawak chief that his God was angry because they were withholding food from them and He would make the moon disappear or become "inflamed with wrath" in three days.  When the blood moon indeed rose on that eerie Sunday night, it terrified the Arawak who agreed to provide Columbus and his men with anything they needed, just so long as he asked his god to bring back the regular moon.

In ancient times, a blood moon was thought to be a bad omen, but now it is understood that it is simply due to the scattering of light by the air in our atmosphere.  While blue light scatters more red light scatters least, which is why the setting sun or the rising moon is red.  In the picture above the blood moon is between the statues of Apollo and Hera in Athens, Greece. (Photo by A Messinis, AFP/Getty)