2. Aglaonike Discovered How to Predict Lunar Eclipses
To many pre-scientific cultures, lunar eclipses were supernatural phenomena that often served as omens by the gods, who were unhappy. The covering of the moon by the earth’s shadow – created by the perfect alignment between the earth, moon, and sun – caused many superstitious people to believe that judgment or destruction by the gods was imminent. This event seemed to defy the natural order.
Enter Aglaonike, a female astronomer mentioned in the writings of Plutarch and Plato. During a time when celestial objects were considered to be emblematic of the gods (consider the stellar constellations that the Greeks observed), she discovered that lunar eclipses were not supernatural phenomena but rather natural occurrences that followed a predictable pattern. As such, she was able to predict when they would happen.
Like many visionaries, Aglaonike was far ahead of her time. She was considered to be a sorceress or enchantress who was able to control the moon, something that placed her in danger of perdition from the gods. There is no record as to how she died, but she may have been executed for the “powers” that she held. However, she has attained a type of immortality, as one of the craters on Venus is named after her.