Eclipses come in a couple varieties, lunar or solar. They are not extremely rare but, due to the particular arrangement of Earth, sun and moon required, most people do not see them in their full glory unless they are willing to travel in order to do so. In ancient historical times when people were less apt to travel great distances a total solar eclipse would be a rare sight and so imbued with meaning.
Peter Plavchan stops by STEM Spots to talk about the total solar eclipse coming on August 21, and the events Missouri State University is conducting for the public to participate in the near-total event here in Springfield.