Astronomy Chapter 1: Earth, Moon, and Sun
Section 3: Phases, Eclipses, and Tides
Name:
Hour:
Eclipses
The moon’s orbit around the sun is slightly ________________________, with respect to the Earth’s
orbit around the sun. Consequently, in most months, the moon revolves around the Earth without
moving into Earth’s shadow or the moon’s shadow, hitting _______________________.
When the moon’s ________________________ hits the ______________________, or the Earth’s
___________________ hits the ________________________, an_______________________ occurs.
When an object in space comes between the sun and a third object, it casts a shadow on the object,
causing an ________________________ to take place. There are two types of eclipses.
_____________________ eclipses, and _______________________ eclipses.
When do Solar Eclipses Occur?
During a new moon, the moon lies between the Earth and the sun. But most months, the moon travels
a little above or below the sun in the sky. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes
_________________________ between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sunlit Earth. The moon’s
________________________ then hits Earth. So a solar eclipse occurs when the moon blocks your view
of the sun.
Total Solar Eclipse
The very darkest part of the moon’s shadow, the ___________________, is cone shaped. From any
point in the umbra light from the sun is completely ___________________________ by the moon. The
moon’s _____________________ happens to be long enough so that the point on the
_____________________ can just reach a small part of Earth’s surface. Only the people within the
___________________ experience a ______________________________________. During a short
period of a total solar eclipse, the sky appears as dark as _____________________, even in the middle
of a clear day. The air gets cool and the sky becomes an eerie color. You can see the stars and the solar
corona, which is the faint outer atmosphere of the sun.
Astronomy Chapter 1: Earth, Moon, and Sun
Section 3: Phases, Eclipses, and Tides
Name:
Hour:
Partial Solar Eclipse
The moon casts another part of its shadow that is less ______________________ than the umbra. The
larger part of the shadow is called the ___________________________. In the penumbra,
____________________ of the sun is visible from Earth. During a solar eclipse, people in the
__________________________ see only a partial eclipse. In the ____________________ part of the
sun is visible from Earth. Since an extremely bright part of the sun remains visible, it is not safe to look
directly at the sun during a partial solar eclipse..... DUH!
When Do Lunar Eclipse Occur?
During most months the moon moves near Earth’s shadow but not quite into it. A
____________________________ occurs at a ________________ moon when the Earth is directly
between the moon and the sun. During a lunar eclipse, Earth ____________________ sunlight from
reaching the ______________________. The moon is then in Earth’s _____________________ and
looks dim from the Earth. Lunar eclipses occur only when there is a full ____________________
because the moon is closest to the Earth’s shadow at that time.
Total Lunar Eclipse
Like the moon’s shadow in a solar eclipse, Earth’s shadow has an _____________________ and a
_______________________ as well. When the moon is in Earth’s umbra, you see a
__________________ lunar eclipse. You can see the edge of Earth’s shadow on the moon before and
after the total lunar eclipse.
Unlike a total solar eclipse, a total _________________ eclipse can be seen everywhere on Earth that
the moon is visible. So you are more likely to see a total ___________________ eclipse than a total solar
eclipse.
Partial Lunar Eclipse
For most lunar eclipses, Earth, the moon, and the ________________, are not completely in line, and
only a partial lunar eclipse results. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes partly into the
umbra of Earth’s shadow. The edge of the umbra appears blurry, and you can watch it pass across the
moon for two or three hours.