A closer look
When you're stranded, starving, and out of goodwill, a little astronomical manipulation goes a long way. Stranded in Jamaica with a mutinous crew, Columbus relied on his trusty German almanac, which predicted a total lunar eclipse on February 29. He told the indigenous Arawak chiefs that his Christian God was furiously angry with them for cutting off his food supply and would erase the moon as proof. When the moon dramatically turned blood red right on cue, the terrified locals frantically restocked his ships.
