What are Solar and Lunar Eclipses?

Last Monday, some people saw the Sun turning into a crescent moon and went dark entirely. Sometimes, we encounter the Moon being reddish-orange, an unusual color for the satellite. These are eclipses that attract far more than thousands of visitors annually. So, what are solar and lunar Eclipses?

What indicates These Astronomical Phenomena?

As observers, we first need to know the effects of the eclipses. Firstly, we know how a solar eclipse goes. It looks like that the Sun has been eaten, bit by bit until the least amount of sunlight is visible. After that, the other parts of our star are back on display.

However, a lunar eclipse is slightly different. It goes similarly initially, and then it becomes red like someone blushing. Why does that occur? We’ll explain that later in this article.

Umbras and Penumbras

So, that brings us the question, ‘Why do solar and lunar eclipses happen?’ Well, the algorithm is identical, but there are some arrangement variations between the two.

Firstly, every object has its shadow because it shades light radiating on it. It contains an umbra and a penumbra, in which the light levels are distinct. Nevertheless, both are darker than usual since the object obscures some electromagnetic radiation.

Types of Solar Eclipses and Lunar Eclipses

So, how do the shadows relate to these phenomena? Well, the explanation is straightforward. A partial solar eclipse means the Sun is partially within the Moon’s umbra or penumbra. That way, only a portion of the starlight is obstructed. Meanwhile, a total solar eclipse is much rarer because it requires the Sun to be wholly inside the Moon’s umbra from Earth‘s perspective. Moreover, the Moon and Sun needs to align perfectly in the observation site, forming an “Eclipse Path”.

But, Moon’s shadow is not much bigger than the Sun’s visual size from Earth. Sometimes, the Moon is even not enough to shade the entire Sun. Why? Because not all orbits are circular, and the Moon has some variations with its distance to our planet, too! When that occurrence happens near apogee, an annular solar eclipse occurs, in which we describe the star as a “ring of fire”.

Furthermore, a lunar eclipse happens when the Moon is in Earth’s shadow. Likewise, a partial lunar eclipse occurs when part of the Moon visually enters Earth’s umbra. That modest dissimilarities happens when the Moon enters the umbra, and the satellite turns color. In fact, the reddish color on the Moon represents all sunrises and sunsets happening across the globe!

How about the lunar phases? Solar eclipses usually take place around a new moon, while lunar eclipses occur around a full moon.

Warning

IMPORTANT!!!: DON’T LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY, EVEN IF IT’S DARK IN A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE. EVEN A BRIEF AMOUNT OF TIME LOOKING AT IT CAN CAUSE PERMANENT EYE DAMAGE. WEAR SPECIAL AND APPROPRIATE GLASSES THAT GET RID OF ALMOST ALL LIGHT RADIATING ON IT. OTHERWISE, WATCH THE EVENT LIVE ON THE INTERNET.

Why don’t A Solar Eclipse and A Lunar Eclipse Occur Every Month?

So, eclipses actually happen because of lunar phases. Then, the fact that a solar and a lunar eclipse occur every month is logical and correct, right? Definitely not! This is one of the FAQs we have on these phenomena, and we have to demystify it with a piece of data.

So, get it right: Not all things in the Solar System lie perfectly in a flat disk. Planets and moons have tilts or even orbit their parents at a random angle. More explicitly, the Moon’s orbit is tilted with Earth’s orbit to the Sun by approximately 5 degrees. Therefore, eclipses occur when the Moon’s location in its revolution and the alignment to the Sun and Earth is either ideal or semi-perfect.

The Rarity of Solar Eclipses

Why is a solar eclipse (especially a total one) so rare and engages so many visitors each time? In fact, many people go traveling to places mainly for watching a solar eclipse, while not much traffic was made due to lunar eclipses? The solution is uncomplicated: Solar eclipses are rarer and more short-lasting.

As a reader, you may ask, ‘Please explain that scientifically’. So, let us elaborate on the details. There are three reasons why this is the truth:

1. The Sun moves faster
2. Earth’s shadow is much bigger than the Moon’s visual size
3. The “Eclipse Path” is narrower for a solar eclipse

So, let’s go right into the first reason.

Let’s calculate how fast the Sun and the Moon move across the sky. Although the difference is meager, it’s still a minor factor. Why does the Moon rotate around the sky a bit longer than one day? Well, the Moon is orbiting Earth as it is our satellite.

Another more important parameter is the Earth and the Moon’s size comparison. You know, it’s an undoubted reality that our planet is significantly wider than our satellite. Thus, the Earth’s shadow is larger, too. Based on the two inputs, we can make a distance-speed graph. But, we’re missing the third parameter, making a total solar eclipse only visible once every 375 years in a fixed point on Earth!³ (According to a NASA Space Place article).

For a lunar eclipse, half the whole globe can notice a lunar eclipse. But, because of Moon’s distance from Earth and its size, “eclipse paths” are about 268 kilometers wide at most.⁴ That scenario only happens when the Moon is also at perigee when that occurs.

Conclusion

So, here’s the introduction to solar and lunar eclipses. We also discussed their features, and some frequently asked questions about these astronomical events. Moreover, we issued an essential warning of observing solar eclipses. Don’t let the satisfaction of watching a rare phenomenon ruin your health!

References and Credits

1. (2019, September 30). Lunar Eclipses and Solar Eclipses | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids. Retrieved December 20, 2020, from https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/eclipses/
2. Erik Gregersen. (n.d.). What Causes Lunar and Solar Eclipses? | Britannica. Retrieved December 20, 2020, from https://www.britannica.com/story/what-causes-lunar-and-solar-eclipses
3. Flint Wild. (2017, May 3). What Is an Eclipse? | NASA. Retrieved December 20, 2020, from https://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/5-8/features/nasa-knows/what-is-an-eclipse-58
4. (n.d.). Eclipse 99 – Amazing Facts – NASA. Retrieved December 20, 2020, from https://science.ksc.nasa.gov/mirrors/gsfc/omni/eclipse99/pages/amazing.html

Image Credits: NASA’s Eyes, Canva, NASA