new moon

A solar eclipse takes place when the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth, blocking out the Sun’s rays and casting a shadow on parts of the Earth.

Anyone within the path of totality can see one of nature’s most awe-inspiring sights – a total solar eclipse. This path, where the moon will completely cover the sun and the sun’s tenuous atmosphere – the corona – can be seen, will stretch from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina.

When the Moon passes between Sun and Earth, the lunar shadow is seen as a solar eclipse on Earth. When Earth passes directly between Sun and Moon, its shadow creates a lunar eclipse. Lunar eclipses can only happen when the Moon is opposite the Sun in the sky, a monthly occurrence we know as a full Moon.

An eclipse occurs when one celestial object obscures another celestial object. In the case of a solar eclipse, the moon moves between the Earth and the sun, thus obscuring the sun. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth moves directly between the sun and the moon. Either type of eclipse can be total or partial.

There are three types — total, partial and penumbral — with the most dramatic being a total lunar eclipse, in which Earth’s shadow completely covers the moon. The next lunar eclipse will be a total lunar eclipse on May 26, 2021.

Penumbral lunar eclipse on Nov. 29-30. The final lunar eclipse of 2020 will appear over North and South America, the Pacific Ocean and its neighboring regions on Nov. 30 at 2:32 a.m. EST (0732 GMT) and ends at 6:53 a.m. EST (1153 GMT), with maximum eclipse occurring at 4:42 a.m. EST (0942 GMT).

There are between two and five solar eclipses every year. There are three kinds of solar eclipses: total, partial, and annular.

Because of the way light passes through the Earth’s atmosphere during an eclipse, red light from the Sun is reflected onto it and gives it a reddish colour and the nickname blood moon.

partial solar eclipse

lunar eclipse

Sometimes when the moon orbits Earth, it moves between the sun and Earth. When this happens, the moon blocks the light of the sun from reaching Earth. This causes an eclipse of the sun, or solar eclipse. For a total eclipse to take place, the sun, moon and Earth must be in a direct line.

The only light reflected from the lunar surface has been refracted by Earth’s atmosphere. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly 2 hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only up to a few minutes at any given place, due to the smaller size of the Moon’s shadow.

There is no danger to the eye in looking directly at a total solar eclipse. However; looking directly at the smallest part of a partial eclipse, including any annular eclipse, is very dangerous and can result in retinal damage.

It is never safe to look directly at the sun’s rays – even if the sun is partly obscured. When watching a partial eclipse you must wear eclipse glasses at all times if you want to face the sun, or use an alternate indirect method.

A Solar Eclipse can be harmful for people if they directly look at it. Experts suggest that a person should never look at a Solar Eclipse without protection because the Sun emits harmful rays that can cause permanent damage to the retina of a human eye.