The amount of refracted light depends on the amount of dust or clouds in the atmosphere; this also controls how much light is scattered. In general, the dustier the atmosphere, the more that other wavelengths of light will be removed (compared to red light), leaving the resulting light a deeper red color. This causes the resulting coppery-red hue of the Sun to vary from one eclipse to the next. Volcanoes are notable for expelling large quantities of dust into the atmosphere, and a large eruption shortly before an eclipse can have a large effect on the resulting color.
Several cultures have myths related to Solar eclipses or allude to the Solar eclipse as being a good or bad omen. The Egyptians saw the eclipse as a sow swallowing the Sun for a short time; other cultures view the eclipse as the Sun being swallowed by other animals, such as a jaguar in Mayan tradition, or a three legged toad in China. Some societies thought it was a demon swallowing the Sun, and that they could chase it away by throwing stones and curses at it. The Greeks were ahead of their time when they said the Earth was round and used the shadow from the Solar Eclipse as evidence. Some Hindus believe in the importance of bathing in the Ganges River following an eclipse because it will help you achieve salvation.