pls i need the difference between the eclips of the sun and that of the moon?

Answer 1

MrEclipse.com Banner

Quick Index
Solar Eclipses, Photos, Alert!, Travel, Totality, Lunar Eclipses, Potpourri, Links, Night Sky, Store, Search

Blue Bar

Solar Eclipses for Beginners

(c) Copyright 2000 by Fred Espenak

Blue Bar

What is an eclipse of the Sun? What causes eclipses and why? How often do eclipses happen and when is the next eclipse of the Sun? You'll learn the answers to these questions and more in MrEclipse's primer on solar eclipses. Before we find more about the eclipses of the Sun, we need to first talk about the Moon.

The Moon is a cold, rocky body about 2,160 miles (3,476 km) in diameter. It has no light of its own but shines by sunlight reflected from its surface. The Moon orbits Earth about once every 29 and a half days. As it circles our planet, the changing position of the Moon with respect to the Sun causes our natural satellite to cycle through a series of phases:

New, New Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full,
Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, Old Crescent and back to New again.

Phases of the Moon

Phases of theMoon.

The phase known as New Moon can not actually be seen because the illuminated side of the Moon is then pointed away from Earth. The rest of the phases are familiar to all of us as the Moon cycles through them month after month. Did you realize that the word month is derived from the Moon's 29.5 day period?

To many early civilizations, the Moon's monthly cycle was an important tool for measuring the passage of time. In fact many calendars are synchronized to the phases of the Moon. The Hebrew, Muslem and Chinese calendars are all lunar calendars. The New Moon phase is uniquely recognized as the beginning of each calendar month just as it is the beginning on the Moon's monthly cycle. When the Moon is New, it rises and sets with the Sun because it lies very close to the Sun in the sky. Although we cannot see the Moon during New Moon phase, it has a very special significance with regard to eclipses.

Solar Eclipse Geometry

Basic Geometry of the Sun, Moon and Earth During an Eclipse of the Sun

An eclipse of the Sun (or solar eclipse) can only occur at New Moon when the Moon passes between Earth and Sun. If the Moon's shadow happens to fall upon Earth's surface at that time, we see some portion of the Sun's disk covered or 'eclipsed' by the Moon. Since New Moon occurs every 29 1/2 days, you might think that we should have a solar eclipse about once a month. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen because the Moon's orbit around Earth is tilted 5 degrees to Earth's orbit around the Sun. As a result, the Moon's shadow usually misses Earth as it passes above or below our planet at New Moon. At least twice a year, the geometry lines up just right so that some part of the Moon's shadow falls on Earth's surface and an eclipse of the Sun is seen from that region.

The Moon's shadow actually has two parts:

Penumbra - Faint outer shadow; partial eclipses are seen from within this shadow.

Umbra- Dark inner shadow; total eclipses are seen from within this shadow.

When only the Moon's penumbral shadow strikes Earth, we see a partial eclipse of the Sun from that region. Partial eclipses are dangerous to look at because the un-eclipsed part of the Sun is still very bright. You must use special filters or a home-made pinhole projector to safely watch a partial eclipse of the Sun (see: Eclipses & Eye Safety).

However, if the Moon's dark umbral shadow sweeps across Earth's surface, then a total eclipse of the Sun is seen (see figure below). The track of the Moon's shadow across Earth's surface is called the Path of Totality. It is typically 10,000 miles long but only 100 miles or so wide. In order to see the Sun totally eclipsed by the Moon, you must be in the path of totality.

Total Solar Eclipse & Path of Totality

Total Solar Eclipse and the Path of Totality

The total phase of a solar eclipse is very brief. It rarely lasts more than several minutes. Nevertheless, it is considered to be one of the most awe inspiring spectacles in all of nature. The sky takes on an eerie twilight as the Sun's bright face is replaced by the black disk of the Moon. Surrounding the Moon is a beautiful gossemer halo. This is the Sun's spectacular solar corona, a super heated plasma two million degrees in temperature. The corona can only be seen during the few brief minutes of totality. To witness such an event is a singularly memorable experience which cannot be conveyed adequately through words or photographs. Nevertheless, you can read more about the Experience of Totality in the first chapter of Totality - Eclipses of the Sun.

Of course, an eclipse of the Sun presents a tempting target to photograph. Learn all about Solar Eclipse Photography in chapter twelve of Totality - Eclipses of the Sun. For more photographs taken during previous solar eclipses, be sure to visit the Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery. It's also possible to capture a solar eclipse using a video camcorder.

The most recent total solar eclipse occurred on August 11, 1999 and was visible from Europe and the Middle East. Fred Espenak traveled to Turkey to witness the event. You can see a collection of his photographs at 1999 Eclipse in Turkey. An earlier total eclipse occurred on February 26, 1998 and was visible from the Caribbean. A Brief Report on the 1998 Eclipse describes the eclipse experience with words and photos.

Composite Solar Corona
1999 eclipse sequence
This nine image sequence captures the essence of the last total solar eclipse of the Millennium.
The central image of totality is a composite from 22 separate negatives which were combined via computer to closely resemble the naked eye appearance of the solar corona.
Total Solar Eclipse of 1999 Aug 11 (Lake Hazar, Turkey)
Photo (c)1999 by Fred Espenak

Unfortunately, not every eclipse of the Sun is a total eclipse. Sometimes, the Moon is too small to cover the entire Sun's disk. To understand why, we need to talk about the Moon's orbit around Earth. That orbit is not perfectly round but is rather oval or elliptical in shape. As the Moon orbits our planet, it's distance varies from 221,000 to 252,000 miles. This 13% variation in the Moon's distance makes the Moon's apparent size in our sky vary by the same amount. When the Moon is on the near side of its orbit, the Moon appears larger than the Sun. If an eclipse occurs at that time, it will be a total eclipse. However, if an eclipse occurs while the Moon is on the far side of its orbit, the Moon appears smaller than the Sun and can't completely cover it. Looking down from space, we would see that the Moon's umbral shadow is not long enough to reach Earth. Instead, the 'antumbral' or negative shadow reaches Earth. The track of the antumbra is called the path of annularity. If you are within this path, you will see an eclipse where a ring or 'annulus' of bright sunlight surrounds the Moon at the maximum phase. Annular eclipses are also dangerous to look directly with the naked eye. You must use the same precautions needed for safely viewing a partial eclipse of the Sun (see: Eclipses & Eye Safety).

Annular Solar Eclipse & Path of Annularity

Annular Solar Eclipse and the Path of Annularity

Annularity can last as long as a dozen minutes, but is more typically about half that length. Since the annular phase is so bright, the Sun's gorgeous corona remains hidden from view. But annular eclipses are still quite interesting to watch. You can read all about the recent annular eclipse of February 16, 1999 which was visible from western Australia. More annular eclipse photos are posted at Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery.

Annular Eclipse
1999 annular eclipse sequence
This seven image sequence covers the entire 2.5 hour long annular eclipse of Feb 16, 1999.
Annular Solar Eclipse of 1999 Feb 16 (Greenough, Australia)
Photo (c)1999 by Fred Espenak

Eclipse Frequency and Future Eclipses

During the six Millennium period 2000 BC to AD 4000, Earth will experience 14,263 solar eclipses as follows:

All Eclipses = 14263 = 100.0%

Partial (P) = 5029 = 35.3%
Annular (A) = 4699 = 32.9%
Total (T) = 3797 = 26.6%
Hybrid1(H) = 738 = 5.2%


2Hybrid eclipses are also known as annular/total eclipses. Such an eclipse is both total and annular along different sections of its umbral path.

The table below lists every solar eclipse from 2001 through 2008. Click on the eclipse Date to see a map of the eclipse.

The Eclipse Magnitude is the fraction on the Sun's diameter covered by the Moon at greatest eclipse. For magnitudes greater than 1.0, it is a total eclipse. The Central Duration is the duration of either the total or annular phase of the eclipse.

Solar Eclipses: 2001 - 2008
DateEclipse
Type Eclipse
Magnitude Central
Duration Geographic Region of
Eclipse Visibility
2001 Jun 21 Total 1.050 04m57s e S. America, Africa
[Total: s Atlantic, s Africa, Madagascar]
2001 Dec 14 Annular 0.968 03m53s N. & C. America, nw S. America
[Annular: c Pacific, Costa Rica]
2002 Jun 10 Annular 0.996 00m23s e Asia, Australia, w N. America
[Annular: n Pacific, w Mexico]
2002 Dec 04 Total 1.024 02m04s s Africa, Antarctica, Indonesia, Australia
[Total: s Africa, s Indian, s Australia]
2003 May 31 Annular 0.938 03m37s Europe, Asia, nw N. America
[Annular: Iceland, Greenland]
2003 Nov 23 Total 1.038 01m57s Australia, N. Z., Antarctica, s S. America
[Total: Antarctica]
2004 Apr 19 Partial 0.736 - Antarctica, s Africa
2004 Oct 14 Partial 0.927 - ne Asia, Hawaii, Alaska
2005 Apr 08 Hybrid 1.007 00m42s N. Zealand, N. & S. America
[Hybrid: s Pacific, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela]
2005 Oct 03 Annular 0.958 04m32s Europe, Africa, s Asia
[Annular: Portugal, Spain, Libia, Sudan, Kenya]
2006 Mar 29 Total 1.052 04m07s Africa, Europe, w Asia
[Total: c Africa, Turkey, Russia]
2006 Sep 22 Annular 0.935 07m09s S. America, w Africa, Antarctica
[Annular: Guyana, Suriname, F. Guiana, s Atlantic]
2007 Mar 19 Partial 0.874 - Asia, Alaska
2007 Sep 11 Partial 0.749 - S. America, Antarctica
2008 Feb 07 Annular 0.965 02m12s Antarctica, e Australia, N. Zealand
[Annular: Antarctica]
2008 Aug 01 Total 1.039 02m27s ne N. America, Europe, Asia
[Total: n Canada, Greenland, Siberia, Mongolia, China]

Geographic abreviations: n = north, s = south, e = east, w = west, c = central

The last total solar eclipse visible from the continental United States occured on Feb. 26, 1979. A total solar eclipse was visible from Hawaii and Mexico on July 11, 1991. The next two total solar eclipses visible from the United States occur on Aug. 21, 2017 and Apr. 8, 2024.

Blue Bar


Eclipse Resources

* Solar Eclipse Maps
o Table and Maps of Solar Eclipses: 1991-2000
o Table and Maps of Solar Eclipses: 2001-2010
o Table and Maps of Solar Eclipses: 2011-2020
o Table and Maps of Solar Eclipses: 2021-2030
o Table and Maps of Solar Eclipses: 2031-2040

o World Atlas Solar Eclipses
o World Map of Total Solar Eclipses: 2001-2025
o World Map of Annular Solar Eclipses: 2001-2025
o Maps of Annular and Total Solar Eclipses in North America: 1851-2100

* Solar Eclipse Predictions
o Six Thousand Year Catalog of Solar Eclipses: 2000 BCE to 4000 CE
o Eight Thousand Year Catalog of Very Long Solar Eclipses: 3000 BCE to 5000 CE
o Solar Eclipses of Historic Interest

* Solar Eclipse Photography
o Photographing Solar Eclipses
o Exposure Table for Solar Eclipse Photography
o Videotaping Solar Eclipses

* Photographs of Solar Eclipses
o Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery: 1970 - 1984
o Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery: 1990 - 1994
o Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery: 1995 - 1999
o 1991 Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery
o Photographs and Report of the 1995 Total Solar Eclipse
o Photographs and Report of the 1998 Total Solar Eclipse
o Photographs and Report of the 1999 Annular Solar Eclipse
o Photographs and Report of the 1999 Total Solar Eclipse
o Photographs and Report of the 2001 Total Solar Eclipse

o Solar Eclipse Composite Photography

* Solar Eclipses and Eye Safety
o Solar Eclipses and Eye Safety - Ralph Chou
o Solar Eclipses and Eye Safety - Fred Espenak
o Sources for Solar Filters

* Additional Links: Solar Eclipses for Beginners & Students
o "Totality - Eclipses of the Sun"
o Basic Eclipse Tutorial - Earth View
o EclipseWatch Project - Microsoft Encarta
o Stories from the Path of Totality - Exploratorium
o Teacher's Guide to the Universe - Lindsey M. Clark

Blue Bar


All photographs are copyright by Fred Espenak.
Please contact him (at MrEclipse) for all uses of these images
in print, web, video, CD and all other media.

Blue Bar

Go to: MrEclipse Home Page

WebMaster: MrEclipse

Last revised: 2005 Jan 24








NOW the Lunar part.


MrEclipse.com Banner

Quick Index
Solar Eclipses, Photos, Alert!, Travel, Totality, Lunar Eclipses, Potpourri, Links, Night Sky, Store, Search

Blue Bar

Lunar Eclipses for Beginners

(c) Copyright 2000 by Fred Espenak

Blue Bar

1993 Total Lunar Eclipse

Phases of the total lunar eclipse 1993 Nov 29.

What is an eclipse of the Moon? What causes eclipses and why? How often do eclipses happen and when is the next eclipse of the Moon? You'll learn the answers to these questions and more in MrEclipse's primer on lunar eclipses.

The Moon is a cold, rocky body about 2,160 miles (3,476 km) in diameter. It has no light of its own but shines by sunlight reflected from its surface. The Moon orbits Earth about once every 29 and a half days. As it circles our planet, the changing position of the Moon with respect to the Sun causes our natural satellite to cycle through a series of phases:

New, New Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full,
Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, Old Crescent and back to New again.

Phases of the Moon

Phases of theMoon.

The phase known as New Moon can not actually be seen because the illuminated side of the Moon is then pointed away from Earth. The rest of the phases are familiar to all of us as the Moon cycles through them month after month. Did you realize that the word month is derived from the Moon's 29.5 day period?

To many of us, Full Moon is the phase of love and romance. When the Moon is Full, it rises at sunset and is visible all night long. At the end of the night, the Full Moon sets just as the Sun rises. None of the Moon's other phases have this unique characteristic. It happens because the Moon is directly opposite the Sun in the sky when the Moon is Full. Full Moon also has special significance with regard to eclipses.

Lunar Eclipse Geometry

Geometry of the Sun, Earth and Moon During an Eclipse of the Moon.
Earth's two shadows are the penumbra and the umbra.
(Sizes and distances not to scale)

An eclipse of the Moon (or lunar eclipse) can only occur at Full Moon, and only if the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's shadow. The shadow is actually composed of two cone-shaped components, one nested inside the other. The outer or penumbral shadow is a zone where the Earth blocks part but not all of the Sun's rays from reaching the Moon. In contrast, the inner or umbral shadow is a region where the Earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the Moon.

Astronomers recognize three basic types of lunar eclipses:

1. Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

* The Moon passes through Earth's penumbral shadow.
* These events are of only academic interest since they are subtle and quite difficult to observe.

2. Partial Lunar Eclipse

* A portion of the Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow.
* These events are easy to see, even with the unaided eye.

3. Total Lunar Eclipse

* The entire Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow.
* These events are quite striking for the vibrant range of colors the Moon can take on during the total phase (i.e. - totality).

Now you might be wondering "If the Moon orbits Earth every 29.5 days and lunar eclipses only occur at Full Moon, then why don't we have an eclipse once a month during Full Moon?". I'm glad you asked! You see, the Moon's orbit around Earth is actually tipped about 5 degrees to Earth's orbit around the Sun. This means that the Moon spends most of the time either above or below the plane of Earth's orbit. And the plane of Earth's orbit around the Sun is important because Earth's shadows lie exactly in the same plane. During Full Moon, our natural satellite usually passes above or below Earth's shadows and misses them entirely. No eclipse takes place. But two to four times each year, the Moon passes through some portion of the Earth's penumbral or umbral shadows and one of the above three types of eclipses occurs.

When an eclipse of the Moon takes place, everyone on the night side of Earth can see it. About 35% of all eclipses are of the penumbral type which are very difficult to detect, even with a telescope. Another 30% are partial eclipses which are easy to see with the unaided eye. The final 35% or so are total eclipses, and these are quite extrordinary events to behold.

2000 Total Lunar Eclipse
Beginning (right), middle (center) and end (left) of totality
during the total lunar eclipse of 2000 Jan 20-21.
(Click here to see a gallery of photos from this eclipse)

During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth blocks the Sun's light from reaching the Moon. Astronauts on the Moon would then see the Earth eclipsing the Sun. (They would see a bright red ring around the Earth as they watched all the sunrises and sunsets happening simultaneousely around the world!) While the Moon remains completely within Earth's umbral shadow, indirect sunlight still manages to reach and illuminate it. However, this sunlight must first pass deep through the Earth's atmosphere which filters out most of the blue colored light. The remaining light is a deep red or orange in color and is much dimmer than pure white sunlight. Earth's atmosphere also bends or refracts some of this light so that a small fraction of it can reach and illuminate the Moon.

The total phase of a lunar eclipse is so interesting and beautiful precisely because of the filtering and refracting effect of Earth's atmosphere. If the Earth had no atmosphere, then the Moon would be completely black during a total eclipse. Instead, the Moon can take on a range of colors from dark brown and red to bright orange and yellow. The exact appearance depends on how much dust and clouds are present in Earth's atmosphere. Total eclipses tend to be very dark after major volcanic eruptions since these events dump large amounts of volcanic ash into Earth's atmosphere. During the total lunar eclipse of December 1992, dust from Mount Pinatubo rendered the Moon nearly invisible.

All total eclipses start with a penumbral followed by a partial eclipse, and end with a partial followed by a penumbral eclipse (the total eclipse is sandwiched in the middle). The penumbral phases of the eclipse are quite difficult to see, even with a telescope. However, partial and total eclipses are easy to observe, even with the naked eye.

2000 Total Lunar Eclipse
Phases of the Total Lunar Eclipse of 2000 Jan 20-21.
(Click here to see a gallery of photos from this eclipse)

Observing Lunar Eclipses

Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch. You don't need any kind of protective filters. It isn't even necessary to use a telescope. You can watch the lunar eclipse with nothing more than your own two eyes. If you have a pair of binoculars, they will help magnify the view and will make the red coloration brighter and easier to see. A standard pair of 7x35 or 7x50 binoculars work fine. Remember to dress warmly and enjoy the spectacle!

Amateur astronomers can actually make some useful observations during total eclipses. It's impossible to predict exactly how dark the Moon will appear during totality. The color can also vary from dark gray or brown, through a range of shades of red and bright orange. The color and brightness depend on the amount of dust in Earth's atmosphere during the eclipse. Using the Danjon Brightness Scale for lunar eclipses, amateurs can categorize the Moon's color and brightness during totality.

Another useful amateur activity requires a telescope. Using a standard list lunar craters, one can careful measure the exact time when each crater enters and leaves the umbral shadow. These crater timings can be used to estimate the enlargement of Earth's atmosphere due to airborne dust and volcanic ash.

Of course, an eclipse of the Moon also presents a tempting target to photograph. Fortunately, lunar eclipse photography is easy provided that you have the right equipment and use it correctly. For more photographs taken during previous lunar eclipses, be sure to visit Lunar Eclipse Gallery 1 and Lunar Eclipse Gallery 2.

Eclipse Frequency and Future Eclipses

During the five millennium period from 2000BC through 3000 AD, there are 7,718 eclipses1 of the Moon (including both partial and total). There are anywhere from 0 to 3 lunar eclipses (not including penumbral) each year. The last time that three total lunar eclipses occurred in one calendar year was in 1982. Partial eclipses slightly outnumber total eclipses by 7 to 6.

1 Only eclipses where the Moon passes through Earth's umbral shadow are included in these values. A minor type of eclipse is the penumbral eclipse which occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's faint penumbral shadow. Penumbral eclipses are rarely discernable to the naked eye and are of lesser importance than umbral eclipses.

The table below lists every lunar eclipse from 2000 through 2008. Click on the eclipse Date to see a map and diagram of an eclipse. Click on the Region of Eclipse Visibility to see a detailed description of an eclipse. Although penumbral lunar eclipses are included in this list, they are usually quite difficult to observe because of their subtlety. The penumbra is a partial shadow which still permits some direct sunlight to reach the Moon.

The Umbral Magnitude is the fraction on the Moon's diameter immersed in the umbra at maximum eclipse. For values greater than 1.0, it is a total eclipse. For negative values, it is a penumbral eclipse. The Total Duration is the duration of the total phase (total eclipses only).

Lunar Eclipses: 2000 - 2010
Date Eclipse
Type Umbral
Magnitude Total
Duration Geographic Region of
Eclipse Visibility
2000 Jan 21 Total 1.330 78m Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa
2000 Jul 16 Total 1.773 108m Asia, Pacific, w Americas
2001 Jan 09 Total 1.195 01h02m e Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia
2001 Jul 05 Partial 0.499 - e Africa, Asia, Aus., Pacific
2001 Dec 30 Penumbral -0.110 - e Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas
2002 May 26 Penumbral -0.283 - e Asia, Aus., Pacific, w Americas
2002 Jun 24 Penumbral -0.788 - S. America, Europe, Africa, c Asia, Aus.
2002 Nov 20 Penumbral -0.222 - Americas, Europe, Africa, e Asia
2003 May 16 Total 1.134 00h53m c Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa
2003 Nov 09 Total 1.022 00h24m Americas, Europe, Africa, c Asia
2004 May 04 Total 1.309 01h16m S. America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
2004 Oct 28 Total 1.313 01h21m Americas, Europe, Africa, c Asia
2005 Apr 24 Penumbral -0.139 - e Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas
2005 Oct 17 Partial 0.068 - Asia, Aus., Pacific, North America
2006 Mar 14 Penumbral -0.055 - Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia
2006 Sep 07 Partial 0.189 - Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
2007 Mar 03 Total 1.238 01h14m Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia
2007 Aug 28 Total 1.481 01h31m e Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas
2008 Feb 21 Total 1.111 00h51m c Pacific, Americas, Europe, Africa
2008 Aug 16 Partial 0.813 - S. America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
2009 Feb 09 Penumbral -0.083 - e Europe, Asia, Aus., Pacific, w N.A.
2009 Jul 07 Penumbral -0.909 - Aus., Pacific, Americas
2009 Aug 06 Penumbral -0.661 - Americas, Europe, Africa, w Asia
2009 Dec 31 Partial 0.082 - Europe, Africa, Asia, Aus.
2010 Jun 26 Partial 0.542 - e Asia, Aus., Pacific, w Americas
2010 Dec 21 Total 1.262 01h13m e Asia, Aus., Pacific, Americas, Europe

Geographic abreviations (used above): n = north, s = south, e = east, w = west, c = central

The last total lunar eclipse visible from all of the United States occured on Oct. 27-28, 2004. The next total lunar eclipse occurs on Mar. 3-4, 2007 and will be visible from the North and South America, Europe, Africa and much of Asia.

Blue Bar


Eclipse Resources

* Lunar Eclipse Predictions
o Eclipses During 2004 Observer's Handbook 2004
o Eclipses During 2005 Observer's Handbook 2005

o Table of Lunar Eclipses: 1991-2000
o Table of Lunar Eclipses: 2001-2010
o Table of Lunar Eclipses: 2011-2020
o Six Thousand Year Catalog of Lunar Eclipses: 2000 BCE to 4000 CE
o Lunar Eclipses of Historical Interest

o Crater Timings and Lunar Eclipses
o Danjon Brightness of Lunar Eclipses

* Lunar Eclipse Photography

o Photographing Lunar Eclipses
o Exposure Table for Lunar Eclipse Photography

o Lunar Eclipse Photo Gallery 1
o Lunar Eclipse Photo Gallery 2
o Total Lunar Eclipse of 1982 Jul 06
o Total Lunar Eclipse of 2000 Jan 20-21
o Total Lunar Eclipse of 2000 Jul 16
o Total Lunar Eclipse of 2004 Oct 27-28

* Ephemeris Data
o Astronomical Ephemeris Data: 1995 - 2006
o Five Thousand Year Catalog of the Phases of the Moon: -1999 to +3000

Blue Bar


All photographs are copyright by Fred Espenak.
Please contact him (at MrEclipse) for all uses of these images
in print, web, video, CD and all other media.

Blue Bar

Go to: MrEclipse Home Page

WebMaster: MrEclipse

Last revised: 2004 Nov 18

Answer 2

When we have a eclipse of the sun, only a part of the sun gets covered while the moon the eclipse is total because it covers the whole moon.

Answer 3

eclipse of the sun : The moon gets between the earth and sun casting a shadow on the earth

eclipse of the moon : The Earth gets between the moon and the sun , casting a shadow on the moon

Answer 4

The moon is in its new phase (i.e., it's between the Sun and Earth) when a solar eclipse occurs and it is in its full phase (i.e., the Earth is between it and the Sun) during a lunar eclipse.

Answer 5

1

Answer 6

how about an eclipse of your ***!