The money shot. The big Kahuna. The once, twice, or maybe twelfth in a lifetime photo. Perhaps the most awe-inspiring view I've ever seen, the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse in full totality.

Therefore, I give you, The Sun in all its glory. The most adorated natural symbol in all of the world.

2024 Total Solar Eclipse - 'Totality in Blue' by Alan Howell
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There is no wonder why this event has shaken human cultures to their core for thousands of years. From myths and legends to most of the world's mainstream religions. This was the symbol of adoration, fear, and of ultimate power...the total solar eclipse. Mankind has created stories to personify this celestial event in countless ways out of awe, respect, fear and sun-worship as they knew the Sun was their source of 'eternal light and life', scaring away the evil things that go bump in the night, predators and thieves, to raising their crops, turning water to wine, bringing survivable warmth after a cold dark night.

When you understand the motif of the eclipsed Sun, you understand the many motives of mankind. Some were stories and myths to help mankind relate to the natural world and align with harvest and planting times, some were malevolent to cast fear and control mankind, some were simply stories on which to entertain and profit. How you interpreted those myths and legends was often up to your understanding of the natural world and the motives of mankind. If you didn't understand the motif of the natural world well, it was often seen as a fearful omen. A sign of 'end times' instead of rebirth. If you did understand with 'open eyes', the open eye, the power of the Sun and why it would be eclipsed, it was a sign of rejuvenation, a 'rapturous' event that reminded us of our small but awe-filled place in the universe.

Many ancient people knew the Sun was a star and that other constellations were made of Suns just like ours, or planets that shone like stars. They created personified solar-deities. For example, 'Surya' the sun god, is worshiped by both Hindus and Buddhists. Helios was the Greek sun god, Apollo is the Greek and Roman god associated with light as a bearer of intelligence, divination, prophecy, and music....

Ra — The Egyptian Sun God.
Sol — or Sol Indiges, the Greek and Norse Sun Gods
Arinna — The Hittite Goddess of the Sun.
Huitzilopochtli — The Aztec God of the Sun.
Inti — The Incan Sun God.
Kinich Ahau — Mayan Sun God.

In Christianity, the four canonical gospels are the story of the Sun’s travels through the sky. Each of the 12 constellations were the 12 personified disciples of Christ, and the signs of the Zodiac, the 12 tribes of Israel.

Other personified Suns (stars) in the Christian Bible...
Kimah, the Pleiades.
Kesil, Orion.
Ash, or Ayish, the Hyades.
Mezarim, the Bears (Great and Little)
Mazzaroth, Venus (Lucifer and Hesperus)
Hadre theman, "the chambers of the south"
Canopus, the Southern Cross, and α Centauri.
Nachash, Draco

The verses personifying the Sun as God, or as 'God's Sun' are vast and obvious...

"The Sun of Righteousness shall arise, with healing in His wings" (Malachi 4:2)

'His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.' (Matthew 17:2)

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield", (Psalms 84:11)

"For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:23-24)

"Our God is a consuming fire", (Hebrews 12:29)

“Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”, (Ephesians 5:14)

"I am come to send fire on earth", a reference to baptism by fire (aka the symbol of holy spirit) (Luke 12:49)

"I am the light of the world", (John 8:12,1 John 1:5)

"All eyes will see him coming in the clouds", (Revelation 1:7)

'His face was like that of a burning bush'...(Ex 3:13) The voice of God from the bush...

In the Zohar, a late 1200s work of Kabbalah, the burning bush was a hint that even though the Israelites were suffering in Egypt, they had God's protection, like the bush that was burning but not consumed.

The solar 'corona', the radiate crown, solar crown, sun crown, crown of thorns, Eastern crown, or tyrant's crown, is a crown, wreath, diadem, or other headgear symbolizing the rays of the Sun.

Jesus walking upon water was the reflected Sun on the water's surface.

And obviously, it is the Sun that 'turns water (rain) into wine' (ie Dionysus)

Helel ben Shahar, the King of Babylon. Helel (" the morning star, son of the dawn") is translated as Lucifer in the Vulgate Bible (Isaiah 14:12).

Jesus also referred to himself also as 'the morning star' (Rev 2:28)

The Christmas date was set to 25 December because it was the date of the festival of 'Sol Invictus', (aka Helios), the solar deity.

The Winter 'Sol'stice, Dec 22 to Dec 25, the sun stops moving southward and stops for 3 days. Hence, it “died" for 3 days, (on the 'cross' of the horizon), only to be 'resurrected' on Dec 25 as it moves 1° North to revive the land for harvest.

Considering the awe inspiring power of the Sun, especially during an eclipse, it's easy to see why these solar deity references are vast among all cultures, myths and traditions.

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Image acquisition data: 'Not taken with a cell phone'. Composite image of 14 bracketed exposures, from 200mm to 460mm, to show the full dynamic range of detail, from the corona, the solar prominences, the Earthshine reflecting back on the lunar surface, and the magnetic field lines of the poles.