How does a partial solar eclipse happen?

Answer 1

The Moon orbits the Earth once a month, and eclipses happen if it lines up exactly with the Earth and the Sun. Solar eclipses occur at New Moon, when the Moon is between Earth and the Sun. Lunar eclipses occur at Full Moon, when Earth is between the Sun and the Moon. Eclipses do not take place every month because the orbits of the Moon and Earth are tilted at an angle. Most of the time, the line-up is not precise enough for an eclipse.

Answer 2

The Earth orbits around the Sun, and the plane of the Earth's orbit is called the "ecliptic". The Moon orbits around the Earth, and the plane of the Moon's orbit is tilted a little when compared to the ecliptic.

A total eclipse - either solar or lunar - occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up almost precisely. A partial solar eclipse or a penumbral lunar eclipse happens when they line up ALMOST precisely. Because the Moon's orbital plane is tilted from the ecliptic, then most of the time when the Moon is full or new, the Moon is a little above or below the line from the Sun to the Earth, and so there is no eclipse. But about every 6 lunar orbits, (just under 6 months) they come really close to lining up - sometimes, close enough.

Answer 3

First of all it is just called a partial eclipse, no need for the word solar. A partial eclipse happens when the moon gets in between te earth and sun I can't finish this sorry :(