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| Lunar and Solar Eclipse/Source: FreeSVG |
An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when a heavenly body is temporarily obscured, by passing into the shadow of another heavenly body or by having another heavenly body pass between it and the viewer. This alignment of three heavenly bodies is known as a syzygy.
The term 'eclipse' is derived from the ancient Greek word 'ékleipsis' which means the downfall or the abandonment of heavenly body.
Earth–Moon system
An eclipse involving the Sun, Earth and Moon only occur when they are nearly in a straight line, as mentioned earlier, they are in the position of syzgy, allowing one body to be hidden behind another when seen from the third body.
Solar Eclipse
It happens when the moon revolving around the Earth comes in between the Earth and the Sun, thus making a part or whole of the sun invisible from a particular part of the Earth, thus, the eclipse can be partial or complete. It occurs during the day.
Type of Solar Eclipses
Total Eclipse: A total solar eclipse happens when the New Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and completely obscures the Sun.
Annular Eclipse: An annular eclipse occurs when the Sun and Moon are exactly in line but Moon appears smaller than the Sun. At the time of annular eclipse, the Sun appears as a bright ring around the Moon.
Partial Eclipse: An partial eclipse happens when the Sun and Moon are not completely aligned and the Sun is partially obscured.
Hybrid Eclipse: A hybrid eclipse is a combination of total and annular eclipse that happens when a total eclipse changes to an annular eclipse or vice-versa along different sections of the eclipse’s path.
Lunar Eclipse
When the Earth comes between the Moon and the Sun, the shadow cast by the Earth on the Moon causes the lunar eclipse. It happens during the night.
It is noted that there are four to seven eclipse happens throughout the year.