Why does a lunar eclipse occur either two weeks before or two weeks after a total solar eclipse?

Answer 1

== == An eclipse occurs because one heavenly body moves between another body and the Sun. For the Moon to be eclipsed, the Earth must be between the Moon and the Sun. For the Earth to be eclipsed, the Moon must be between the Earth and the Sun. Because the Moon orbits the Earth every four weeks, it will be on the opposite side of its orbit in two weeks. Therefore, a total eclipse of the Sun can be followed in two weeks by a total eclipse of the Moon.

Answer 2

In order for an eclipse to occur, the sun, moon, and earth must all be in the same straight line.

A solar eclipse happens when the moon is the middle one. A lunar eclipse happens when the earth

is the middle one.

It takes roughly two weeks (14.8 days) for the moon to swing half-way around the earth ...

between the middle position and the end position.

Answer 3

That would be difficult, since the moon has to be on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun to have a lunar eclipse, and it takes considerably longer than two weeks for the Moon to complete one orbit.