Frog Eats Moon During Total Solar Eclipse
How many remember the last time you were able to witness a Total Solar Eclipse? One thing is for sure: if you saw the last Total Solar Eclipse in Georgia, you were 47 years younger than you are today. The last Total Solar Eclipse to pass through our state was on March 7, 1970. The next big event was just weeks away, and Georgia Mountain Rentals was busy planning and organizing a Valley Viewing of the Total Solar Eclipse passing through the Northeastern corner of Georgia, including Helen and Sautee Nacoochee, on Monday, August 21, 2017.
A Solar Eclipse occurs when the moon is between the earth and the sun. While the moon passes between the earth and the sun once a month, a Solar Eclipse only happens during a new moon. Because the plane of the moon's orbit is at an angle to the plane of the earth's orbit around the sun, the proper alignment for a Total Solar Eclipse is rare.
Cherokee legend: Nvdo walosi ugisgo
The Cherokee tribal territory covered the Southern Appalachian Mountains and included these mountains and valleys in Helen and Sautee Nacoochee. The Cherokee observed eclipses for millennia and have several names for them. The oldest is Nvdo walosi ugisgo. The literal translation is "Sun/Moon frog it-eats-the-round-thing-habitually," or "The frog eats the sun/moon." This refers to the traditional belief that the eclipse is caused by a giant frog swallowing the sun or moon. To scare the frog away, the Cherokee people made loud noises for the duration of the eclipse. James Adair wrote in 1736: "This was the effect of their natural philosophy and done to assist the suffering moon."
Understanding why we can't look directly at the sun during the Total Solar Eclipse is an important lesson for all of us. Georgia Mountain Rentals guests were able to add packages to their reservation that included eclipse eyewear.
Many schools were closed for this big day, giving families the opportunity to experience this amazing astronomical event together. Learning and sharing, playing games, and finally watching from the lush green pastures of Sautee Valley made for a memorable day.
References: Eclipse Wise Website; Time Life Magazine Photo Archives; Your Grandmother's Cherokee Blog; National Aeronautics and Space Administration Website.
