CNN —In ancient Mesopotamia, a solar eclipse was a cause for deep concern. Today, eclipses retain a little bit of their historic role as harbingers of doom. Many cultures imagined a solar eclipse occurred when a mythological being ate the sun. A group of people safely watching a solar eclipse in New York City in 1865. During the solar eclipse of 1842, 20,000 people of all social classes gathered in Perpignan, France, and applauded the sun’s performance.

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Persons: Jason Colavito, Jimmy, James Dean, Herodotus, Thales, Miletus, Corbis, “, Pierre Gassendi, Christopher Columbus, Mark Twain, François Arago Organizations: New, Slate, CNN, puma, Thales, Connecticut Yankee, King Locations: New York, New Republic, Mesopotamia, United States, American, Vietnam, North America, China, New York City, France, Paris, Columbus, King Arthur’s, Perpignan