Solar and Lunar Eclipses
What is an eclipse?
• The partial or total blocking of one object in
the space by another is an Eclipse.
Is there more than 1 kind of eclipse?
• Yes!! There are lunar (Latin - moon) and solar
(Latin - sun) eclipses.
• Lunar Eclipse - The blocking of sunlight to the
moon that occurs when Earth is directly between
the sun and the moon. Occurs at the Full Moon
phase; the moon is closest to Earth’s shadow.
• Solar Eclipse- The blocking of sunlight to Earth that
occurs when the moon is directly between the sun
and Earth. Occurs at the new moon phase.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/resources/ess05/sci/ess/eiu/totaleclipse/index.html
Umbra – The darkest part of a shadow.
Penumbra – The part of a shadow surrounding
the darkest part. The lighter part of the
shadow.
Lunar Eclipses
The Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon,
blocking the Sun’s light, and causing the moon to
glow red.
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es2504/es2504page01.cfm?chapter_no=visual
ization
Types of Lunar Eclipses
• Total Lunar Eclipse – The entire Moon passes
through the umbra of Earth’s shadow, or total
shadow of the Earth.
• Partial Lunar Eclipse – Part of the Moon passes
through the umbra of Earth’s shadow.
• Penumbral Lunar Eclipse – The Moon only passes
through the penumbra of Earth’s shadow, or
partial shadow. They are barely visible.
Total Lunar Eclipse – When the Moon passes completely
into the Umbra, or total shadow of the Earth.
Why is the moon red during a Total
Lunar Eclipse?
• The Earth’s atmosphere filters some sunlight and allows it to reach
the Moon’s surface.
• The blue light is removed—scattered down to make a blue sky over
those in daytime.
• Remaining light is red or orange.
• Some of this remaining light is bent or refracted so that a small
fraction of it reaches the Moon.
• Exact appearance depends on dust and clouds in the Earth’s
atmosphere.
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.
Solar Eclipse – The blocking of sunlight to Earth that occurs
when the moon is directly between the sun and Earth.
Occurs at the new moon phase.
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 Solar 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.
Total Solar Eclipse –
It is safe to view the Sun, if you can see the corona.
Otherwise DO NOT LOOK DIRECTLY INTO A Solar Eclipse
Partial Solar Eclipse – not safe to look directly at Sun.
Annular Solar Eclipse – When the moon is too far to
completely cover the sun completely—the umbra doesn’t
reach the Earth. Sun appears as a ring around the moon.
How often do Eclipses Happen?
• That depends!! Lunar Eclipses happen more
often than Solar Eclipses.
• Why? Well 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!!
Why Don’t We See Lunar
Eclipses More Often?
• Well, 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.
Closer
• Differentiate between a solar and
lunar Eclipse.Differentiate between a
solar and lunar eclipse.
How are the earth, sun, and moon
arranged during solar and lunar
eclipses?
Name this phase!
Full Moon
What time does this phase rise and set?
Craters
Name these
features.
Maria
Name
these
features.
Does this image show us the near
side or far side of the moon?
Far Side
How can you tell?
Does this image show the near side or the
far side of the moon?
Near Side
Name this phase!
Waning
Gibbous
Name this
phase!
Third Quarter
From what direction does
the moon rise?
The East
Name this phase!
Waxing Gibbous
Name this phase!
Waning Crescent
What might be happening in this image?
Lunar Eclipse
Name this phase!
Look closely!
Waxing Gibbous
True or False:
The Far Side and the
Dark Side of the moon
are the same thing.
False!
Name this phase!
Full Moon
Name this phase!
New Moon
Does the moon rise or set in the west?
It sets in the west.
Name this phase!
Waning Gibbous
Name this
phase!
Waning Crescent
Name this phase!
Waning Gibbous