Chapter 10

Eclipse

How solar and lunar eclipses happen when one body's shadow falls on another — with an interactive exercise.

An eclipse happens when one body blocks the light reaching another, casting a shadow.

In a solar eclipse, the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking the Sun in the daytime. In a lunar eclipse, the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, so the Earth's shadow falls on the Moon.

Remember

  • Solar eclipse: Moon between Sun and Earth.
  • Lunar eclipse: Earth between Sun and Moon.

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