What is “Eclipse,” and why and when “Solar” or “Lunar” eclipse occurs?
Eclipses occur when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up. They are rare because the moon usually passes 5 above or below the imaginary line connecting Earth and the Sun. In a solar eclipse the moon passes directly in front of the Sun. This can only happen when the phase of the moon is “new.” That occurs because, for Earth-based observers, the far side of the moon is illuminated while the side facing Earth is in darkness. A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth comes between the moon and the sun, earth casting a shadow on the moon. It can only occur when the moon is “full.” At solar eclipse, the moon, which is 400 times smaller that the Sun, is 400 times closer! This means that the two objects appear to be the same size in the sky. An annular eclipse is a special partial solar eclipse. Because the moon’s orbit around Earth is an ellipse, not a circle, the moon’s distance from Earth varies. When the moon is far from Earth it appears slightly smaller in the sky. (Earth’s orbit around the Sun is also
