.OVERALL SOLAR eclipses possess impressed folks since time out of thoughts. The 1st record of one, preserved on a clay-based tablet found at Ugarit, currently in Syria, is strongly believed from its own age as well as place to describe either an eclipse that happened in 1375BC or one in 1223BC. Famous explanations for eclipses feature the Sunshine being actually eaten by pets, toads or even monsters. The fact is a lot more prosaic. Eclipses are actually caused by the Moon relocating in between Sun and The planet in such a way that throws a darkness on aspect of Planet's surface area. Why are total ones, like the one crossing portion of North America on April 8th, therefore rare?