Eclipses: Solar and Lunar

Discover the science behind solar and lunar eclipses! Learn what they are and how they differ.

Solar and Lunar Eclipses Lunar Eclipse Compared To Solar EclipseA "lunar eclipse" and a "solar eclipse" refer to events involving three celestial bodies: the Sun ("solar"), the moon ("lunar"), and the Earth. A lunar eclipseoccurs when the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun, and the Earth's shadow obscures the moon or a portion of it. Asolar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, blocking all or a portion of the Sun.An eclipse can be total, partial, or annular. A total solareclipse is when the moon blocks out the Sun entirely, a partial eclipse is when it blocks out a portion of the Sun, and an annular eclipseis when the moon is at its furthest point in orbit. It will not cover the Sun completely that's when you can see a thin ring of light emerging from the outside rim of the moon.How are a lunar eclipse and solar eclipse different?A lunar eclipse occurs at night and a solar eclipse occurs during the day. There are only certain times when either of them can occur. A lunar eclipse can only occur when the moon is directly opposite the Sun in the sky — a full moon. Even though there is a full moon each month, obviously a lunar eclipse does not occur on a monthly basis because the Sun isn't exactly in line with the Earth and the moon. The moon's orbit is actually tilted 5 degrees more than that of the Earth; otherwise, we would see a lunar eclipse each month.We can see lunar eclipses more readily than solar eclipses, and it has to do with proximity. The Moon is much closer to the Earth (well over 300 times closer than the Sun!), so the Earth has a much greater chance of blocking sunlight to the Moon, compared to the Moon blocking light from the Sun. Also, a lunar eclipse can be seen from a greater portion of the Earth. Solar eclipses, on the other hand, are more rare and when they do happen can only be seen by a very narrow segment of people on Earth, for a short period of time.It is quite safe to watch a lunar eclipse with the naked eye, while watching a solar eclipse without eyewear protection can seriously damage your eyesight. You can use a telescope to get a clearer view of the moon during an eclipse and really see what is happening.A solar eclipse has always had a more profound effect on humans than a lunar eclipse. This is probably because of the importance of the Sun to all life on Earth. In ancient China, a solar eclipse was thought to be the dragon coming to eat the Sun. The effect that an eclipse has on all life on Earth is of particular interest to scientists. They eagerly await a solar eclipse because it helps them to gather more knowledge about the Sun and its position with respect to Earth. According to the passage, what can occur when the Moon is between the Earth and Sun? Solar Eclipse Lunar Eclipse Full Moon New Moon What is a total solar eclipse? When the Sun partially blocks out the Moon When the moon blocks out the Sun entirely When the moon partially blocks out the Sun When the Sun blocks out the moon entirely Solar and Lunar Eclipses Watch the video and answer the following questions Identify the order of the Sun, Earth, and moon during a solar eclipse. Sun, Earth, Moon Sun, Moon Earth Moon, Sun, Earth Identify the order of the Sun, Earth, and moon during a lunar eclipse. Sun, Earth, Moon Sun, Moon, Earth Earth, Sun, Moon Total eclipse Go to this website to view the solar eclipse simulation by clicking on the picture. Solar Eclipse Simulation Describe what you see happening in the simulation. Lunar eclipse Click on the picture to get to the website to view the lunar eclipse. Watch all three orbits of the different types of lunar eclipses. Lunar Eclipse Simulation Which orbit of the lunar eclipse is a total lunar eclipse? Orbit 1 Orbit 2 Orbit 3 Eclipse Key Terms Match the term with the correct definition. Umbra the darkest part of a shadow Lunar Eclipse an eclipse in which the Moon passes through the part of the Earth's shadow Penumbra the partial shadow beyond the region of the umbra Solar Eclipse an eclipse in which the Moon's shadow passes over part of Earth Apply Understanding Draw a model of a lunar eclipse. Label the moon (M), Earth (E), and Sun (S). Why do we not see a lunar and solar eclipse every month? The moon is cutoff by Mars, which crosses in front of the moon The moon takes longer than one month to orbit the moon orbits around the Earth at a different angle from Earth