The document discusses lunar and solar eclipses. It explains that a lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and Moon, casting its shadow on the Moon. A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Earth and Sun, casting its shadow on parts of Earth. There are three types of each: total, partial, and penumbral/annular. Eclipses do not occur daily because the Moon's orbit is tilted relative to Earth's orbit around the Sun, but there are seasons when eclipses are more likely to occur.

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2. What is an eclipse?
• An eclipse occurs any time something
passes in front of the Sun, blocking its
light. This can be the Earth or the Moon.

3. Lunar Eclipse
• Lunar Eclipse- When the Earth casts
a shadow on the moon, causing the
moon to go dark.
Earth comes between the Sun and
the Moon and casts a shadow on
the Moon (Full Moon)

4. Lunar Eclipse
• The Earth moves between the Sun and the
Moon, blocking the Sun’s light, and causing
the moon to glow red.

5. • Umbra – The dark inner portion of the
shadow cone.
• Penumbra – the lighter outer portion of
the shadow.

6. If you are in the umbra of the shadow, you will see a total eclipse.
If you are in the penumbra of the shadow, you will have a partial eclipse

7. Types of Lunar Eclipses
• Total Lunar Eclipse – when the Moon
passes completely into the Umbra, or total
shadow of the Earth.
• Partial Lunar Eclipse – Occur when the
Moon does not fully move into the Umbra.
• Penumbral Lunar Eclipse – When the
moon passes only through the penumbra,
or partial shadow. They are barely visible.

8. Total Lunar
Eclipse occur
when the
Moon passes
completely
into the
Umbra, or total
shadow of the
Earth.

9. Partial Lunar Eclipse occurs when the
Moon does not fully move into the Umbra

10. Penumbral Lunar Eclipse occurs when the
moon passes only through the penumbra,
or partial shadow.
They are barely visible.

11. SOLAR ECLIPSE
• Solar Eclipse- When the Moon casts
a shadow on the Earth, causing the
sun to go dark.
The Moon comes between the Sun
and Earth and casts a shadow on
part of Earth (New Moon)

12. Solar
Eclipse

13. Remember that it is not safe to stare at a solar eclipse !!!

14. This animation shows that the moon creates a small shadow which
Only allows certain areas of the earth to see a total solar eclipse.

15. Types of Solar Eclipses
• Total Solar Eclipse can only occur if you are at
the exact spot within the moon’s umbra (which
isn’t very big).
• Partial Solar Eclipse – Visible if you are in the
penumbra of the shadow. Only some of the
moon will be shadowed.
• Annular Eclipse occurs when the moon is
farthest from the Earth in its orbit. This makes
the moon look smaller, so during the eclipse you
see an outer ring of light from the Sun.

16. Total Solar Eclipse – can only occur if you are at the exact
spot within the moon’s umbra (which isn’t very big).

17. Partial Solar Eclipse – Visible if you are in the
penumbra of the shadow.
Only some of the moon will be shadowed.

18. Annular Eclipse – occurs when the moon is farthest
from the Earth in its orbit. This makes the moon look
smaller, so during the eclipse you see an outer ring of
light from the Sun.

19. How often do Eclipses Happen?
• Lunar Eclipses happen more often than
Solar Eclipses.
• Everyone who is experiencing night time
during a lunar eclipse can see it. But you
have to be at the exact spot on Earth to
see a Solar Eclipse.
• The spot on Earth is so small, that the
same place only sees a Solar Eclipse
every 350 years!!

20. Why Don’t We See Lunar
Eclipses More Often?
• Lunar eclipses don’t happen everyday
because the Moon’s orbit is tilted. So,
during most months, the Moon is above
or below the Earth.

21. Eclipse Seasons
• Syzygy- The times where the Moon, the
Earth, and the Sun line up perfectly for an
eclipse.