Maddie

Solar Eclipse

Reviewed By: Maddie Q.

MADKIDS GAZETTE VOL.161

Solar Eclipse

Recently this week there was a solar eclipse! In California, it was only a partial solar eclipse meaning only a partial amount of the sun was being covered, but places like Texas and Oklahoma were able to see the total solar eclipse because they were in the alignment path.

What is a solar eclipse?

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking out some or all of the sun's light from reaching Earth. This happens during the new moon phase when the sun, moon, and Earth align in a straight line. Solar eclipses are rare and can only be seen in certain areas of the Earth during a limited period of time.

What is a lunar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow on the moon. This happens only during a full moon when the Earth, sun, and moon are aligned in a straight line, with the Earth in the middle. Lunar eclipses are safe to observe with the naked eye and can be seen from anywhere on the night side of the Earth. They are more common than solar eclipses and can happen multiple times in a year.

What is a partial solar eclipse?

A partial solar eclipse happens when the moon partially covers the sun, which only makes a bit of the sun covered. This happens when the alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth is so that the moon only partially covers the sun's disk as viewed from Earth. During a partial solar eclipse, the sun appears as a crescent instead of a full circle, with the amount being covered depending on the specific geometry of the alignment. The amount of coverage can vary, going from just a small portion of the sun being covered to a larger area.

Do total solar eclipse or partial solar eclipse occur more often?

Partial solar eclipses happen more frequently than total solar eclipses. This is because a total solar eclipse has to have the alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth to be so that the moon completely covers the sun's disk, which is a more rare occurrence. A partial solar eclipse happens when the alignment has only a portion of the sun to be covered by the moon, making it more common. Partial solar eclipses can be seen from a broader geographic area compared to total solar eclipses, which are visible only at some places on Earth. Therefore, partial solar eclipses happen more frequently and are more commonly observable than total solar eclipses.

Where could you see the total solar eclipse?

This year the solar eclipse was able to be seen from North America, but this was only shown as a partial solar eclipse. If you wanted to see a total solar eclipse, you would need to be in Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Small parts of Tennessee and Michigan will also see the total solar eclipse.

How rare are total solar eclipses?

Total solar eclipses are really rare events when compared to other types of eclipses. While partial solar eclipses occur more, a total solar eclipse is considered a very rare celestial occurrence because of the alignment needed for the moon to completely block out the sun's disk as viewed from Earth. On average, a total solar eclipse happens somewhere on Earth around every 18 months to 2 years. But, the visibility of each total solar eclipse is limited to certain regions along the path of totality, which is normally a narrow strip on Earth's surface. This path can vary in width but is often only a few tens to a couple hundred kilometers wide.

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