NASA scientists believe that a lunar eclipse occurred during the crucifixion of Jesus, based on data from its astronomical models.
An article from the space agency noted that the Christian Bible wrote that the moon turned to blood in the skies over Jerusalem after Jesus's crucifixion.
“From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land,” reads one iteration of Matthew 27:45.
Additionally, early Christian texts prophesied that on the day of Jesus's crucifixion, the sky would look eerie.
In a gathering 50 days after Jesus's death, the apostle Peter predicts in Acts 2:20: “The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.”
Biblical eclipses
Supposed eyewitness events of the situation also note that the skies looked strange after Jesus died on the cross.
“At his crucifixion, the sun was darkened; the stars appeared, and in all the world, people lit lamps from the sixth hour till evening; the moon appeared like blood,” noted a pseudepigraphical text of Pontius Pilate's report of Jesus's crucifixion.
Scientists hypothesized that this could potentially be referring to a lunar eclipse, during which the moon takes a reddish hue.
The space agency said that based on ancient texts, scientists narrowed down a possible date of Jesus's crucifixion to Friday, April 3, 33 C.E., a date traditionally associated with Jesus's crucifixion. A lunar eclipse occurred that day, which would have made the moon appear red in the skies over Israel.
Christians believe Jesus was crucified on Good Friday, which falls two days before Easter Sunday. The holiday celebrating Jesus's resurrection is determined by the first full moon after the first day of spring, a system meant to align with Passover.
NASA's findings provide a new layer of context for descriptions of seemingly otherworldly natural occurrences that happened during biblical events such as the crucifixion of Jesus.