The indigenous people of the island welcomed the men, offering them food and shelter, but cut off their supplies when some of Columbus’ crew members began stealing from them. He and his crew spent more than a year there awaiting relief. They are rare events at any given location, because the Moon’s shadow is small relative to the size of the Earth and traces a narrow path across Earth’s surface.įebruary 29, 1504: Twelve years after his momentous landing at San Salvador, Christopher Columbus was exploring the Central American coast when woodworms attacked his ship, causing leaks and forcing him to make an emergency stop in Jamaica. A total solar eclipse may last only a few minutes. During a total solar eclipse, the daytime sky may darken briefly and the temperature may drop. When the Moon passes directly behind the Earth, into its shadow, a lunar eclipse occurs.Ī total solar eclipse happens when the Moon totally covers the Sun’s disk. Types Of EclipsesĪ solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and partially or fully blocks the view of the Sun.

They also allowed ancient civilizations to develop sophisticated calendars, convinced Aristotle the Earth was round and helped Einstein prove his theory of relativity. Striking to behold, eclipses often were viewed as supernatural phenomena. Solar and lunar eclipses-astronomical events that occur when the Earth, the Sun and the Moon are aligned-have figured prominently in human history.

Star wars empire at war eclipse