The Moon In Motion
Moon Phases in Motion - David Clark Swalm
Our solar system consists of planets, the moon, the sun, and numerous other known and unknown features. Over the years, astronomists have discovered that the only object that has its own light in the solar system is the sun. All other objects, including the moon, reflect the sun's light. This article answers the question, 'what is an eclipse?' and will discuss the moon and its movement around the sun and earth.
You will be surprised to read how the movement changes the moon's shape and appearance every day. This rotation of the moon is referred to as the Moon in Motion. Let's look at the interesting positions of these celestial bodies and learn what an eclipse is. If you want to learn more about new planets that have been discovered, you can read my blog post on them!
What Is An Eclipse? (Everything You Should Know)
The moon constantly revolves around the earth, while the earth revolves around the sun. They don’t rotate at the same rates and may sometimes align during their revolutions; this position is called the eclipse.
What Are The Different Types Of Eclipses?
The earth orbits around the sun for about 365 days. At the same time, the moon orbits around the earth and takes 27 days to complete the orbit. This interrelated motion happening between the three celestial bodies causes eclipses. Depending on the motion of the celestial bodies in space, two types of eclipses can occur during a year.
Lunar Eclipse - David Clark Swalm
Lunar Eclipse
When the moon eclipses the sun, it creates a lunar eclipse. It casts two types of shadows on the earth. Firstly the Umbra, which is a dark small dark shadow. The sun will be entirely blocked out from your perspective in this position. The other position is called the Penumbra. This is larger and comparatively lighter. Only a little part of the sun will be blocked during a Penumbra.
Solar Eclipse
When the new moon, during its revolution around the earth, moves between the sun and the earth, it blocks out the sun's rays. This casts a shadow on parts of the earth. This phenomenon is called a solar eclipse. In other words, a solar eclipse is when the moon passes in a straight line between the earth and the sun.
How Often Do Eclipses Happen?
There is always a minimum of 4 eclipses that occur each year. Out of these 4, 2 eclipses are solar eclipses. The maximum number of eclipses per year is 7, although this is a rare occurrence.
How Often Does A Lunar Eclipse Occur?
A lunar eclipse occurs only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are all in alignment. Despite the fact that the Moon only takes 29.5 days to orbit Earth and complete a cycle from full Moon to full Moon, there are only about 3 lunar eclipses per year on average. Total lunar eclipses account for approximately 29% of the lunar eclipses that occur yearly. Every 2.5 years, a total lunar eclipse can be viewed from anywhere on earth.
How Often Does A Solar Eclipse Occur?
Typically a solar eclipse occurs 2 to 5 times per year, while a total solar eclipse occurs every 18 months. However, it is not easily visible every time. Whether you will be able to see the eclipse or not depends on where you are in the world.
Eclipse - David Clark Swalm
What Are The Upcoming Lunar Eclipses In 2022/2023
Partial Solar Eclipse - 25th October 2022
Total Lunar Eclipse - 7th November 2022
Total Solar Eclipse - 20th April 2023
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse - 5th May 2023
Annular Solar Eclipse - 14th October 2023
Partial Lunar Eclipse - 28th October 2023
Learn More About All Things Space Related
Experiencing a solar eclipse can greatly interest people who study stars and the moon. Although according to some scientists, it is not safe to look at the eclipse directly. An interesting thing about the eclipse is that it can't be seen from the north and south pole as these are at the furthest corner.
To learn more about the wonders of space, head over to my blog posts!.
