An eclipse occurs when one celestial body passes in front of another, blocking its light. A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, casting its shadow on Earth. There are several types of solar eclipses depending on how much of the sun is obscured by the moon, including total, annular, partial, and hybrid eclipses. The moon's shadow during an eclipse consists of the umbra, penumbra, and antumbra regions. Historical beliefs about eclipses included that they were caused by evil spirits or were omens of tragedy.