Science · 6 pages · 12 min
How a lunar eclipse differs from a solar eclipse
Earth's shadow falls on the Moon in one, and the Moon's shadow falls on Earth in the other.
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From the opening
A lunar eclipse and a solar eclipse are opposite alignments of the same three bodies. In a lunar eclipse the Earth stands between the Sun and the Moon and Earth's shadow falls on the Moon, while in a solar eclipse the Moon stands between the Sun and the Earth and the Moon's shadow falls on Earth. The opening covers which body stands in the middle, a wide shadow versus a narrow track, and why most months miss both.
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Inside
- Which body stands in the middle
- A wide shadow versus a narrow track
- Why most months miss both
- Copper light in Earth's shadow
- Where the idea stops applying
- A distinction worth keeping
Sources
- Alignment of Sun, Earth, and Moon
- The tilt of the Moon's orbit and eclipse seasons