What Is A Solar Eclipse

List of Solar and Lunar Eclipses Worldwide Next 10 Years. Check where the eclipses are visible and if you can see them.

What Is A Solar Eclipse 1

During a partial solar eclipse, the Moon blocks only part of the Sun's disk (). A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, thereby obscuring the view of the Sun from a small part of Earth, totally or partially.

What Is A Solar Eclipse 2

There are four types of solar eclipses: Total, partial, hybrid, and annular. The type of eclipse that people get to see depends on how the Moon aligns with Earth and the Sun, and how far away the Moon is from Earth. There are three types of lunar eclipses: total, partial, and penumbral.

What Is A Solar Eclipse 3

This table shows when, where, and how these eclipses will occur. Other solar eclipses that occur elsewhere in the world but are not visible in the U.S. are also shown.

What Is A Solar Eclipse 4

Solar eclipse, the Moon coming between Earth and the Sun so that the Moon’s shadow sweeps over Earth’s surface. This shadow consists of two parts: the umbra, a cone into which no direct sunlight penetrates; and the penumbra, which is reached by light from only a part of the Sun’s disk.

A total solar eclipse only happens somewhere on Earth once every year or two. What is an eclipse? Learn more about how solar eclipses happen, the four types of eclipses, and how to view the sun safely if you're within the path of totality.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon positions itself between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow over Earth. We explore the type of solar eclipses here.

What Is A Solar Eclipse 7