Eclipses

What is an eclipse? The total or partial obscuring of one celestial body by another. Eclipses occur when the moon’s orbit which is tilted becomes in line with the sun, moon and Earth and they all line up perfectly

What kind of eclipses are there? Generally, there are two major eclipses we see on Earth, a solar eclipse, and a lunar eclipse. Sometimes there are partial eclipses, and other times there are total eclipses.

How large is the angle between Earth’s orbit and the moon’s orbit? The angle between Earth’s orbit and the orbit of the moon is 5º. Most months, the moon is above or below the Earth.

A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth comes directly between the sun and moon Earth blocks the moon from sunlight and cast a shadow The moon turns a red/orange color During a total lunar eclipse, you will notice the Moon getting darker from the left side first. During the time when the entire Moon is in the umbra, it is said to be in totality.

Partial lunar eclipse A partial lunar eclipse is when only part of the Moon travels through the umbral shadow of the Earth. Depending on how much of the Moon passes through, you may or may not notice this type of eclipse.

Important fact… A lunar eclipse can only happen during a full moon. Why do you think this fact is so? Full Moons occur when the Sun and Moon are on opposite sides of the Earth - so Lunar eclipses can only happen when the Moon is full.

Solar Eclipse Just like the Earth casts a shadow on the Moon (either the umbra or penumbra), The Moon casts a shadow on the Earth during a solar eclipse. The Moon also has an umbra and penumbra. With solar eclipses, there can be a partial, total, or annular eclipse.

A solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, the Moon and the Earth all line up. The Moon blocks the light of the Sun, and casts a shadow on the Earth. For the Moon to block the light of the Sun, the Moon must be in new moon phase.

The types of solar eclipses Partial - A partial eclipse happens when the Moon passes in front of the Sun, but does not cover it completely Total - A total eclipse occurs when the Moon covers the Sun completely. Only a small region of the Earth will see a total eclipse, but observers in the nearby regions see a partial eclipse. Annular - If the Moon is further away from the Earth than normal, then it will not appear large enough in the sky to cover the Sun. The Sun appears as a ring with a dark center. Why would the Moon be farther away than “normal?”