An eclipse occurs when one celestial body passes in front of another, blocking sunlight or moonlight. There are two types of eclipses - solar eclipses occur when the moon passes between the sun and earth, and lunar eclipses occur when the earth passes between the sun and moon. For an eclipse to happen, the moon must be crossing over the sun-earth orbital plane at either a full or new moon phase, when the three bodies can align.

1. Lunar and Solar

3. An eclipse is the “blocking out” of sunlight or moonlight as one
celestial body passes in front of another.
Example:
When the Sun, Moon, and Earth align with each other and cover up
sunlight or moonlight.
What is an Eclipse?
There are two types:
Solar Eclipses
Lunar Eclipses

5. The plane of the Moon’s orbit is tilted approximately 5 degrees in reference
to the Sun.
This means that the moon is either above or below the Sun-Earth orbit.
The Earth-Moon Orbit

6. The moon will cross over the Sun-Earth orbit twice (these locations
are referred to as Nodes).
Only twice a month is it possible for the sun, moon, and Earth to
align in the correct way for an eclipse to occur.
The Earth-Moon Orbit

8. When the moon crosses either
an ascending or descending
node, it must be in either a full
or new moon for an eclipse to
be possible.
NEEDED INGREDIENTS:
1. Moon on orbital node.
2. Moon at either Full or New
Moon.
The Earth-Moon Orbit