How often do total solar eclipses occur?
Solar eclipses are determined by the combined dynamics of the earth’s rotation and the moon’s orbit. They re PREDICTABLE, but not PERIODIC. That means that you can determine when one will happen, but they do not happen on a regular basis. So, you cannot answer “how often”. The best you can say is “frequently” ALSO, a solar eclipse happens when the earth passes through the moon’s shadow. But sometimes the earth does not pass through ALL of the moon’s shadow, so we also get partial solar eclipses. AND the moons shadow is smaller than the earth, so depending on where you are on the earth, you may see all, part, or none of the eclipse. For example, the eclipse coming up this Friday can be seen in Greenland and Canada, but not the United States. How’s that for confusing things???
