WorksheetsUnderstanding Solar Eclipses
Total questions: 8
Worksheet time: 4mins
What causes a solar eclipse?
The sun moves behind the Earth, causing darkness.
The Earth moves between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow.
Clouds cover the sun, making it look like an eclipse.
The moon moves between the Earth and the sun, blocking the sun's rays.
Why do the sun and the moon appear the same size in the sky?
Because the sun is much closer to the Earth than the moon.
Because the moon is much larger than the sun.
Because the sun is 400 times wider than the moon but also 400 times farther away.
Because the moon is 400 times closer to the Earth than the sun.
Why isn't there an eclipse every month?
Because the Earth's orbit changes.
Because the moon's orbit is usually tilted a few degrees north or south in relation to the Earth.
Because the moon is too small.
Because the sun moves too fast.
What is the umbra?
A type of solar eclipse.
A planet.
The larger, lighter shadow cast by the moon.
The smaller, darker shadow cast by the moon.
What is a total eclipse?
When the moon appears too small to fully cover the sun.
When the moon completely covers the sun's surface.
When the moon partially covers the sun's surface.
When the Earth covers the sun.
What is an annular eclipse?
When the moon's shadow on Earth is the largest.
When the sun appears larger than the moon.
When the moon completely covers the sun.
When the moon is too far away to fully cover the sun, leaving a ring of the sun visible.
How can you safely watch a solar eclipse?
By looking directly at the sun.
With regular sunglasses.
With a telescope.
With certified eclipse-watching glasses.
What will eventually stop total solar eclipses from happening?
Clouds covering the sun.
The moon moving about one and a half inches away from Earth each year.
The moon getting larger.
The sun moving closer to the Earth.
