Solar & Lunar Eclipses
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting the Moon's shadow on Earth.
A solar eclipse can only happen during a New Moon.
A Lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun casts Earth's shadow onto the Moon. For this to happen, the Earth must be physically between the Sun and Moon with all three bodies lying on the same plane of orbit.
A lunar eclipse can only occur during a Full Moon and when the Moon passes through all or a portion of Earth's shadow.
The outer portion of the shadow cast from Earth is known as the penumbra shadow, which is an area where Earth obstructs only a part of the Sun's light from reaching the Moon.
The umbra shadow is the "inner" shadow, which is the area where Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.
A penumbra lunar eclipse is subtle and very difficult to observe. A partial lunar eclipse is when a portion of the Moon passes through the Earth's umbra shadow.
Finally, a total lunar eclipse is when the entire Moon passes into the Earth's umbra shadow.
During a total lunar eclipse, the sequence of eclipses are penumbra, partial, total, partial and back to penumbra.
A solar eclipse can only happen during a New Moon.
A Lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun casts Earth's shadow onto the Moon. For this to happen, the Earth must be physically between the Sun and Moon with all three bodies lying on the same plane of orbit.
A lunar eclipse can only occur during a Full Moon and when the Moon passes through all or a portion of Earth's shadow.
The outer portion of the shadow cast from Earth is known as the penumbra shadow, which is an area where Earth obstructs only a part of the Sun's light from reaching the Moon.
The umbra shadow is the "inner" shadow, which is the area where Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.
A penumbra lunar eclipse is subtle and very difficult to observe. A partial lunar eclipse is when a portion of the Moon passes through the Earth's umbra shadow.
Finally, a total lunar eclipse is when the entire Moon passes into the Earth's umbra shadow.
During a total lunar eclipse, the sequence of eclipses are penumbra, partial, total, partial and back to penumbra.