Solar Eclipses
A solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks our view of the sun. This happens
when the Moon is exactly between the Sun and the Earth.
TOTALITY:
Totality is the short part of an eclipse when the moon entirely blocks the Sun.
Totality usually lasts for just a few minutes (no more than 8 minutes in any one
location on Earth).
What We Can See During Totality
During a total solar eclipse some parts of the Sun that we normally can't see
become visible, including the corona (the outermost layer of the sun's
atmosphere).
Types of Solar Eclipses
- Partial Solar Eclipse - A partial solar eclipse is when the Moon
only covers part of the solar disc.
- Total Solar Eclipse - A total solar eclipse is when the Moon
appears to cover the entire solar disc. Total solar eclipses are only
visible from a very small area on Earth, a narrow track that moves across
the Earth's surface (as the Earth rotates). The partial phase of a total
eclipse lasts about an hour. In any one place, totality (when the solar disc
is entirely covered) lasts no more than 8 minutes. During totality, the sky
is dark enough to see stars in the sky.
- Annular Eclipse - During an annular eclipse, the sun looks like an
"annulus" or ring. The ring is visible when the Moon does not
entirely cover the disk of the Sun during a solar eclipse.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth's shadow falls on the moon. Lunar eclipses
occur, on average, about every 6 months.
Types of Lunar Eclipses
- Total Eclipse - When the entire moon enters the Earth's umbra (the darkest
part of its shadow), this is called a total eclipse.
- Partial Eclipse - When only part of the moon enters the Earth's umbra,
this is called a partial eclipse.
Duration of Lunar Eclipses
During an average total lunar eclipse, the moon is within the Earth's umbra for
about an hour. This is called totality.
Frequency of Lunar Eclipses
There are about two lunar eclipses each year (visible somewhere on
Earth).