solar eclipse

A solar eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when the Earth moves into the shadow of the Moon. From the Earth's perspective, the Moon is blocking the Sun's light.

Solar eclipses only occur during a New Moon.

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Every year has at least 2 solar eclipses and as many as 5 solar eclipses.

Every solar eclipse is a part of a "eclipse season", which is a string of solar and lunar eclipses. For every solar eclipse, there is a lunar eclipse either the Full Moon immediately before or immediately after the solar eclipse.

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Why Isn't Every New Moon a Solar Eclipse?

The Moon's orbit around the Earth is not directly in line with the Earth's Equator and the Earth's orbit around the Sun is not directly in line with the Earth's Equator. The Moon orbits the Earth at about a 5 degree angle and the Earth orbits the Sun at about a 23.45 degree angle. These angles along with the orbits being out of phase with each other allows the Sun and Moon to pass above and below each other in the sky.

Types of Solar Eclipses

Partial

A partial solar eclipse occurs when only part of the Moon blocks the light from the Sun from reaching the Earth.

Annular

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the entirety of the Moon blocks the light from the Sun from reaching the Earth and the apparent diameter of the Moon disk is smaller than the apparent diameter of the Sun disk. It is called an annular solar eclipse because the Sun appears to be a bright ring (annulus) around the dark Moon disk.

Total

A total solar eclipse occurs when the entirety of the Moon blocks the light from the Sun from reaching the Earth and the apparent diameter of the Moon disk is bigger than the apparent diameter of the Sun disk. It is called a total solar eclipse because the Moon totally blocks the Sun.

Hybrid

A hybrid solar eclipse is an eclipse that shifts between an annular to total eclipse. At some points on Earth, the eclipse appears as a total eclipse and at other points on Earth, the eclipse appears as an annular eclipse.

Incoming Wiki Links

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