Why are some solar eclipses total while others are annular?
The Moon’s orbit is elliptical’ sometimes it is closer, and sometimes farther away. When the Moon is near perigee (closest point in its orbit to the Earth) during an eclipse, we get total eclipses. When the Moon is near apogee (furthest away from Earth) then the distant Moon isn’t big enough to block out the whole Sun, and the Sun shines around the Moon as a “ring” or “annulus” of Sun behind the Moon.
