According to my logic (which is probably incorrect), since the moon is always in orbit around the earth, it should come between the earth and the sun at least every month or so. Please tell me why this is not so.
2007-11-11 05:41:12 · 2 answers · asked by mrmoe15 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Because the Moon's orbit is tilted about 5° relative to the ecliptic (the plane of Earth'sorbit). Most months the new Moon happens north or south of the Sun and its shadow goes off into space. An eclipse happens when the new Moon occurs close to a node - one of the two points where its orbit crosses the ecliptic.
2007-11-11 05:56:50 · answer #1 · answered by injanier 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
BEcause the moons orbit is not on a perfectly flat plane, it's slightly tilted as is earths axis. Both in combination cause the shadow to transit across different areas at different times.
2007-11-11 05:52:30 · answer #2 · answered by Brad W 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋