What Is A Total Solar Eclipse? 10 Weird Myths, Facts And Superstitions To Know

South America will be treated to a good view of a total solar eclipse this Monday.

Those who will be within the path of totality of the eclipse will be able to witness the awe-inspiring sight. The path (where the moon completely covers the sun's atmosphere and reveals its corona) will stretch from Saavedra, Chile to Salina del Eje, Argentina, according to NASA.

Observers in southern Chile and Argentina outside the path will still see a partial solar eclipse where the moon covers part of the sun's disk. The path of totality for the total solar eclipse will be about 56 miles (90 kilometers) wide, and anyone at the centerline of the path will get about 2 minutes and 10 seconds of totality.

Total solar eclipses have been occurring since humanity can remember, but a lot are still confused as to what it is and what it means. Here are 10 facts, myths and superstitions about total solar eclipses that everyone should know.

1. What a total solar eclipser is

A total solar eclipse is a phenomenon that takes place when the moon completely covers the sun. Considered to be quite a rare event, a total eclipse can only happen when the moon is near perigee — the point of the moon's orbit closest to Earth. According to TimeAndDate.com, one can only see a total solar eclipse if they are in the path where the moon casts its darkest shadow, identified as the umbra.

2. Swallowing fire

Many cultures in early times thought of various reasons to explain the cause of an eclipse. The Vikings, for example, believed sky wolves constantly chased the sun. When one wolf catches and eats it, an eclipse would be the result.

For people in Vietnam, however, it was a frog or a toad who eats the moon and the sun during an eclipse. Either way, the tale of the sun being swallowed by a giant entity was believed to be true for a long time.

3. Scaring the demon away

In order to avoid being eaten by the giant animal up in the sky as well, people made noises to scare the demon or animal away. People in the olden days would bang pots and pans or played drums to get whatever was swallowing the sun or the moon to go away, according to National Geographic.

4. Nature's reconciliation

In this particular myth, people thought the sun and the moon were fighting, and so during eclipses, they would encourage the two heavenly bodies to stop quarreling.

"They see it as a time of coming together and resolving old feuds and anger," Jarita Holbrook, a cultural astronomer at the University of the Western Cape in Bellville, South Africa, said in a National Geographic article. "It's a myth that has held to this day."

5. Modern misunderstandings

It is still fairly common for some to believe in superstitions that involve eclipses. One of the most persistent ones is the belief that danger is present to pregnant women and their unborn children during an eclipse.

E. C. Krupp, director of the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California, has heard his share of misunderstandings and fears and adds that "It seems irrational." Even so, Krupp and his observatory still get several calls asking about it.

6. It is dangerous to look during a total solar eclipse

Another misconception is that people should under no circumstances look at the sun when it's completely covered during an eclipse. Krupp said that of course, it is dangerous to look directly at the sun as it can cause eye damage. But if the sun is completely covered, then it is safe to do so.

"That's when you should be out there experiencing it," added Krupp.

7. Harbinger of doom

Throughout history, solar eclipses have been associated with bad events. In 763 BC, there was an insurrection in the city of Ashur which happened to coincide with a solar eclipse. Then there was the death of England's King Henry I in 1133, again during a solar eclipse, according to an article by CBC.

Of course, these events were mere coincidences as bad things happen all the time, regardless if there is a solar eclipse or not.

8. ­­Celestial larceny

One of the more colorful stories of the origin of solar eclipses is a story involving the Hindu demon Rahu, who disguises himself as a god in order to steal a taste of an elixir that grants immortality. The sun and moon are aware of what Rahu is doing and so they tell this to the god Vishnu.

Vishnu slices off his head before the elixir can slide past his throat. Rahu's head turns immortal, but his body dies. And so, the demon's head continues to move through the sky, chasing the sun and the moon out of hatred.

9. There is more than one type of solar eclipse

Other than total eclipses, there are two more types — partial and annular. Partial solar eclipses occur when the moon does not line up completely with the sun, thus only partially blocks the sunlight that reaches Earth.

Annular solar eclipses, on the other hand, happen when the moon and the sun are both exactly in line, but the Earth is closer to the sun. When this is the case, the moon is smaller in size than the sun and appears as a bright ring.

10. Unique sights during totality

A few great sights during the totality of the total solar eclipse include the sun's corona, shadow bands and Baily's beads, according to TimeAndDate.com.

About a minute before totality, wavy lines of alternating light and dark can be seen on the ground and along the walls. A few minutes after that, the outermost part of the sun's atmosphere becomes more prominent. The sun's corona will be visible as a faint ring of rays surrounding the moon.

Lastly, about five seconds before totality, Baily's beads appear. They are little bead-like blobs of light at the edge of the moon created by the sunlight passing through gaps in the mountains and valleys on the moon's surface.