Solar vs Lunar Eclipse

Solar Eclipses vs. Lunar Eclipses

Do you know the difference?

Eclipses

• I can explain the different positions of the Earth, Moon, and Sun that result in eclipses.

  
  

• The moon revolves around Earth, creating moon phases and eclipses. Solar eclipses occur when the moon blocks sunlight from Earth’s surface, while lunar eclipses occur when Earth blocks sunlight from reaching the moon’s surface

How can I remember the different types of Eclipses?

• An easy way to remember is in the name:

• In a solar eclipse, the SUN gets darker

• In a lunar eclipse, the MOON gets darker

Different Shadows

• UMBRA - the fully shaded inner region of a shadow cast by an opaque object

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• PENUMBRA - the partially shaded outer region of the shadow cast by an opaque object.

Multiple Select

What do we call the darker part of the shadow?

• Umbra

• Penumbra

• Thanos

• Darth

Multiple Select

___________ is the lighter part on the edges of the shadow.

• Umbra

• Penumbra

• Opaque object

• Screen

Multiple Select

Light ________ pass through an opaque object.

• Can

• Will

• Cannot

• Must

Multiple Select

The size of the shadow changes according to the ___________ between the object and the light source.

• Distance

• Brightness

• Orientation

• Screen

What is an Eclipse?

•  The total or partial obscuring of one celestial body by another.

• An eclipse is an astronomical event; one object in the sky moves into the shadow of another object.

• Solar eclipse = New moon shadow crosses the Earth's surface

• Lunar eclipse = Earth shadow darkens the full moon

Open Ended

What happens during a SOLAR eclipse?

What type of ECLIPSE is shown here?

Solar Eclipses

• Only happen during NEW MOON phase

• Happen 2-5 times per year on different parts of Mother Earth

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• There are different types of solar eclipses: total, partial, & annual.

Total Solar Eclipse

• Happen when the sun is completely blocked by the moon.

• Only visible from a specific part of the Earth. The moon is considerably smaller and this its shadow will only pass through a narrow path on Earth’s surface.

• Areas around that path will only see a partial solar eclipse.

Partial Solar Eclipses

• When the Moon doesn’t completely cover the Sun.

• The Moon passes off-center and only a portion of the Sun is obscured.

Annular Eclipse

• The Moon doesn’t cover the entirety of the Sun, even if the Moon’s completely centered in front of it. This happens because the Moon’s orbit is an elliptical and the Moon is closer to the Earth.

• During this kind of eclipse, the bright ring around the Moon is called the “ring of fire.”

During this kind of eclipse, the bright ring around the Moon is called the “ring of fire.”

Eclipses look different depending on your location/viewpoint.

Multiple Choice

A _________ is the blocking of the Sun's light that occurs during a new moon when the moon's shadow falls on earth.

• solar eclipse

• lunar eclipse

• umbra

• penumbra

Multiple Choice

A solar eclipse only happens during the day.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

The moon phase for a solar eclipse is a full moon.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

For a solar eclipse to occur, the alignment must be ?

• none of the above

• Sun, moon, Earth

• Earth, sun, moon

• sun, Earth, moon

Multiple Choice

What type of eclipse is this an example of?

• Lunar Eclipse

• Solar Eclipse

Multiple Choice

The moon's orbit is tilted about _____ degrees relative to Earth's orbit around the sun.

• 5

• 23.5

• 27.3

• 29.5

Multiple Choice

A total solar eclipse is visible from

• only within the moon's penumbra.

• only within the moon's umbra.

• only the dark side of Earth.

• all over Earth.

Open Ended

What happens during a LUNAR eclipse?

ECLIPSES

• A lunar eclipse happens when the earth passes in between the moon and the sun. EARTH SHADOW

• A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes in between the earth and the sun. MOON SHADOW

SOLAR vs. LUNAR

SOLAR eclipse = NEW MOON
Part of the earth darkens
LUNAR eclipse = FULL MOON

Moon darkens/changes color

Solar eclipse = MOON SHADOW

LUNAR ECLIPSE = FULL MOON

• TOTAL - Earth's shadow completely covers the moon

• PARTIAL - part of the Moon's visible surface moves into the umbra of the Earth's shadow.

• PENUMBRAL - only the more diffuse outer shadow of Earth falls on moon’s face. 

TOTAL - Moon is completely covered by Earth's shadow

PENUMBRAL - moon passes through Earth's penumbra

Blood Moons...

• During a lunar eclipse, Earth gets in the way of the sun's light hitting the moon. The moon can also look reddish because Earth's atmosphere absorbs the other colors while it bends some sunlight toward the moon.

BLOOD MOONS

Multiple Choice

What type of eclipse is this an example of?

• Lunar Eclipse

• Solar Eclipse

Open Ended

What happens during a LUNAR eclipse?

Open Ended

What happens during a SOLAR eclipse?

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Multiple Choice

What is the difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse?

• A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, while a lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun.

• A solar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun, while a lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun.

• A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, while a lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun.

• A solar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun, while a lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Moon and the Sun.

Solar vs Lunar Eclipses

Solar Eclipse: Moon passes between Earth and Sun.

Lunar Eclipse: Earth passes between Moon and Sun.

Solar eclipses are rarer and can only be seen from specific locations, while lunar eclipses are visible from anywhere on Earth. Both are fascinating celestial events!

Exploring Eclipses

• Total lunar eclipses: Visible from anywhere on the night side of the Earth during the eclipse
• Total solar eclipse: Starts with a small 'bite' taken out of the Sun's edge as the moon cuts across its disk
• Over the next hour, the moon gradually covers more of the Sun

Total Lunar Eclipses vs Total Solar Eclipses

Total lunar eclipses occur when the moon gradually covers more of the Sun over the next hour, while total solar eclipses start with a small 'bite' taken out of the Sun's edge as the moon cuts across its disk.

Multiple Choice

What is the difference between a total lunar eclipse and a total solar eclipse?

• Total lunar eclipses are visible from anywhere on the night side of the Earth during the eclipse, while total solar eclipses are not.

• Total lunar eclipses occur when the moon gradually covers more of the Sun over the next hour, while total solar eclipses start with a small 'bite' taken out of the Sun's edge as the moon cuts across its disk.

• Total lunar eclipses are only visible from specific locations on Earth, while total solar eclipses are visible from anywhere on the day side of the Earth during the eclipse.

• Total lunar eclipses occur when the moon completely covers the Sun, while total solar eclipses occur when the moon partially covers the Sun.

Solar Eclipse

Viewing a Partially Covered Sun

Trivia: When viewing a partially covered sun, it is important to be cautious. Never use sunglasses or a telescope, as they do not provide adequate protection. Instead, cover your eyes with your hands or use special solar viewing glasses. Remember, safety first when observing celestial events!

Multiple Select

What precautions should be taken when viewing a partially covered sun?

• Wear sunglasses

• Use a telescope

• Cover your eyes with your hands

• Use special solar viewing glasses.

Multiple Choice

What moon phase occurs during a solar eclipse?

• Full Moon

• 1st Quarter

• New Moon

• Waxing gibbous

Multiple Choice

In order to have an eclipse, the earth, sun, and moon have to be?

• Below each other

• Above each other

• In alignment

Multiple Choice

What moon phase occurs during a lunar eclispe?

• Full moon

• Third quarter

• New moon

• Waxing crescent

Multiple Choice

What type of eclipse occurs when the earth's shadow is cast on a full moon?

• Lunar eclipse

• Solar eclipse

Multiple Choice

What type of eclipse occurs when the moon blocks the sun's light and casts a shadow on earth?

• Solar eclipse

• Lunar eclispe

Multiple Choice

What is the darker, inner most part of the shadow called?

• Umbra

• Penumbra

Multiple Choice

What is the lighter, outer most part of the shadow called?

• Umbra

• Penumbra

Multiple Choice

What part of the shadow must I be in to see a TOTAL solar eclipse?

• Umbra

• Penumbra

Multiple Choice

Which type of eclipse happens more often?

• Solar eclipse

• Lunar eclipse

Multiple Choice

True or False:

A solar eclipse happens during the day

• True

• False