Columbus Day is celebrated in the U.S. on the second Monday of October. It commemorates the day where the Italian explorer landed on an island off the northeast coast of Cuba he called San Salvador on October 12, 1492.

After San Salvador, Columbus went on other journeys. Three of these were voyages to the New World. On his fourth and final one on June 25, 1503, however, he was stranded with his two ships off an island now known as Jamaica. 

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A lunar eclipse apparently saved him in that perilous predicament.

The indigenous Arawak people, also called Arawak Indians were at first hospitable to Columbus and his crew. The Arawak Indians, however, became restless after providing food and shelter for these stranded foreigners for six months.

Columbus' crew repaid the kindness of the Arawak Indians by stealing from and killing some of these natives.

As Columbus was trying desperately to relieve the situation, he consulted his trusty Regiomantus Almanac. The Regiomantus Almanac contains rare and valuable information about the sun, moon, planets, including constellations for sailors and seafarers.

With the knowledge from the Regiomantus Almanac, Columbus took advantage of the evening of February 29, 1504 when a total lunar eclipse was to appear at moonrise.

Three days before the eclipse, Columbus warned the Arawak chieftain the Christian god was angry and displeased the Arawak Indians had stopped providing food and shelter for the white men.

The Christian god will cause the moon to disappear. The moon will appear bloody at first because of the god's wrath. Columbus said this was also an omen that disaster will strike the natives.

When the eclipse arrived, the Arawaks screamed in terror and immediately came running with food and provisions to the ships, begging Columbus to appease the Christian god. 

Columbus told the Arawaks forgiveness had been bestowed upon them as the eclipse was coming to an end. The moon then reappeared and the Arawaks let out a huge sigh of relief. On June 28, 1504, Columbus and his men were rescued.

TagsHow a Lunar Eclipse Saved Christopher Columbus and his Crew, Lunar Eclipse, columbus day, Christopher Columbus, US