A total solar eclipse was once all about fear

Throughout much of history, witnessing a total solar eclipse would mean one thing above all else. And that is fear.
For the ancient Greeks, an eclipse was a sign that the gods were angry. The Vikings saw eclipses as a potential apocalypse. And the ancient Chinese apparently believed that an eclipse meant that a giant dragon was trying to devour the sun and that people needed to make as much noise as possible to scare the dragon away.

A total solar eclipse was once all about fear, but it’s still an awe-inspiring event