Popular recorded history often only tells one side of the story, and typically, those in power create the stories that are remembered. This story is read from a book in our collection, Camille Flammarion’s “Astronomie Populaire” written in French in 1880 and translated to English in 1894.

In it, Christopher Columbus claims to use his superior astronomical knowledge of the 1504 lunar eclipse to gain favor from the Tainos—an indigenous tribe in Jamaica.

However, we know that folks all around the world throughout history have studied the heavens, practiced astronomy, and predicted celestial events like lunar eclipses. Just as Columbus was able to predict this lunar eclipse, the Tainos surely could as well.

When we consider who is telling this story and the perspective of the Tainos, are we sure that it is true? With this story, we encourage you to ask questions and think critically about some of the tales that popular astronomical history tells.

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