Solar+and+Lunar+Eclipse

=﻿Lunar and Solar Eclipses=

Lunar Eclipse
A Lunar Eclipse is where the Earth blocks all sunlight from the Moon. This will only happen when the Sun, Moon and Earth are aligned exactly. This photo shows how the Earth blocks the Sun from the Moon. Occur about every 6 months.

Solar Eclipse
A Solar Eclipse is where the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth and either completly covers the Moon, like the photo to the right, or it only partially covers it. Occur about 2-5 times a year but the majority of these are only partical eclipses, where as a full one comes every 18 months or so, but seeing as it doesn't effect the whole of the Earth it will take longer than 18 months. That is only the time a Solar Eclipse is visable to the Earth, not one certain spot.

The Difference.
The difference is a Solar Eclipse is where you can't see the Sun and the Lunar Eclipse is where you can't see the Moon.

(Here is labelled the Umbra and Penumbra. The Umbra is the region of complete shadow and the Penumbra is the fringe region of partial shadow around an umbra.)



History of Eclipses:
April 4, 1996: Total Lunar Eclipse. October 17, 2005: Partial Lunar Eclipse. June 26, 2010: Total Lunar Eclipse.

November 3, 1994: Total Solar Eclipse. 25 December, 2000: Partial Solar Eclipse. July 15, 2010: Total Solar Eclipse.

(Note! These dates are not Solar/Lunar Eclipses visable from New Zealand.)

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