0
How many solar eclipses would occur each year with a flat orbit?
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
The moon's orbit is flat. That is, every point in its orbit lies in the same plane.
But that plane isn't in the plane of the Earth'sorbit.
If it were, then we would have a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse every 29.531
days ... 37 of each kind every 3 years. (I'm not sure, but I think the solar eclipses
could not be total anywhere outside the Earth's tropics.)
Anyway, eclipses would be so common that nobody would give them a second
thought, any more than anyone stands and marvels at a sunrise or sunset. It
would be just something that happens.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
Why do you only have 2-4 solar eclipses a year?
We don't have as many solar (or lunar) eclipses per years as would be intuitively obvious because the plane of the orbit of the Moon around the Earth is inclined 5.14 degrees with respect to the plane of the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. In order for an eclipse to occur, the three (Earth, Moon, and Sun) must be aligned with each other, and that does not occur very often, due to the inclination.
What phase does a solar eclipse occur during?
It is a new Moon. For a solar eclipse, the moon has to be between Earth and the Sun. We get a total lunar eclipse when Earth is between the Sun and the Moon. The Moon would have to be full for it to be eclipsed.
What would have to happen for a lunar and solar eclipse to happen every month?
First, you have to understand that the Moon has a tilt in its orbit. Its tilt is large enough to miss the Earth's shadow or the Sun's main stream of light. The Moon has to remove its orbital tilt for solar and lunar eclipses to happen every month. But eventually, the Moon will be far enough that it does not block enough sunlight for a solar eclipse to occur (this is because the moon is moving away from Earth because it orbits the Earth slower than the Earth rotates).
Why solar eclipse does not occur every time the moon revolves around earth?
The Earth orbits the Sun in a plane that we call the "ecliptic". If the Moon orbited the Earth in that same plane, we would experience eclipses every month. But the plane of the Moon's orbit is about 5 degrees tilted from the ecliptic, and so we only see eclipses at the "nodes" when the Moon's orbital plane crosses the ecliptic at the new or full moons.
What would happen to the frequency of eclipses if the Moon's orbit were not tilted?
If the plane of the moon's orbit coincided with the plane of the earth's orbit (the 'ecliptic plane'), there would be a solar eclipse at every New Moon, and a lunar eclipse at every Full Moon. Nobody would think anything of it. It would be commonplace, just "the way things work", and nobody would even bother to look up. Eclipses would be as boring as the sunrise and sunset are, even though all are equally miraculous.
Why do you only have 2-4 solar eclipses a year?
We don't have as many solar (or lunar) eclipses per years as would be intuitively obvious because the plane of the orbit of the Moon around the Earth is inclined 5.14 degrees with respect to the plane of the orbit of the Earth around the Sun. In order for an eclipse to occur, the three (Earth, Moon, and Sun) must be aligned with each other, and that does not occur very often, due to the inclination.
How often would solar and lunar eclipses occur?
i believe evry 1oo years but I'm not sure
What would have to happen for a and solar eclipses to occur every month?
The moon would have to be on a flat plane instead of being on a tilt.
Can solar eclipses be prevented?
A Solar Eclips Is Natural It Cant be Prevented, but they dont come as often as you would think.. so the only way to prevent one was to move the orbit of the moon
What is the importance of the five degree difference in the orbital planes of the Moon and Earth?
If the plane of the Moon's orbit were not tilted as compared to the ecliptic (the special name used for the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun) then there would be total solar eclipses at every new moon, and total lunar eclipses at every full moon. If the angle between the Moon's orbit and the ecliptic were more than it is, we would see fewer and shorter eclipses than we do.
What phase does a solar eclipse occur during?
It is a new Moon. For a solar eclipse, the moon has to be between Earth and the Sun. We get a total lunar eclipse when Earth is between the Sun and the Moon. The Moon would have to be full for it to be eclipsed.
What would happen to the frequency of eclipses if the moons orbit were not tilted?
If the plane of the moon's orbit coincided with the plane of the earth's orbit (the 'ecliptic plane'), there would be a solar eclipse at every New Moon, and a lunar eclipse at every Full Moon. Nobody would think anything of it. It would be commonplace, just "the way things work", and nobody would even bother to look up. Eclipses would be as boring as the sunrise and sunset are, even though all are equally miraculous.
Why are't all eclipse total eclipse?
The Earth orbits the Sun. The plane of the Earth's orbit is called the "ecliptic". The Moon has its own orbit around the Earth, and its own orbital plane. If the plane of the Moon's orbit was the same as the plane of the Earth's orbit, then there WOULD be solar eclipses at every new moon, and lunar eclipses at every full moon. But the plane of the Moon's orbit is NOT the same as the plane of the Earth's orbit - and really, why would they be? The Moon's orbital plane is inclined by about 5 degrees from the ecliptic. Therefore, eclipses only happen at full and new moons about every six months, when the Moon happens to be crossing the ecliptic.
What would have to happen for a lunar and solar eclipse to happen every month?
First, you have to understand that the Moon has a tilt in its orbit. Its tilt is large enough to miss the Earth's shadow or the Sun's main stream of light. The Moon has to remove its orbital tilt for solar and lunar eclipses to happen every month. But eventually, the Moon will be far enough that it does not block enough sunlight for a solar eclipse to occur (this is because the moon is moving away from Earth because it orbits the Earth slower than the Earth rotates).
Why solar eclipse does not occur every time the moon revolves around earth?
The Earth orbits the Sun in a plane that we call the "ecliptic". If the Moon orbited the Earth in that same plane, we would experience eclipses every month. But the plane of the Moon's orbit is about 5 degrees tilted from the ecliptic, and so we only see eclipses at the "nodes" when the Moon's orbital plane crosses the ecliptic at the new or full moons.
Why does the Moon change its phase how does it move and how do these combine to create eclipses?
The Moon is in an elliptical orbit around the Earth, and the Earth is in an elliptical orbit around the Sun. If the Moon's orbit were in the same plane as the ecliptic (the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun) then the Moon would pass directly between the Earth and the Moon every month, and would pass into the Earth's shadow each month. We'd have both lunar and solar eclipses every lunar orbit! But the Moon's orbit is inclined about 5 degrees to the ecliptic, so we only have eclipse opportunities twice a year, when the Moon happens to pass through the ecliptic at the time of full and new moons. That's why there are generally two lunar eclipses and two solar eclipses each year. The phases of the Moon are caused by the fact that while the Moon is always half-illuminated byt eh Sun, we Earthlings don't always see the Sunlit side.
What would happen to the frequency of eclipses if the Moon's orbit were not tilted?
If the plane of the moon's orbit coincided with the plane of the earth's orbit (the 'ecliptic plane'), there would be a solar eclipse at every New Moon, and a lunar eclipse at every Full Moon. Nobody would think anything of it. It would be commonplace, just "the way things work", and nobody would even bother to look up. Eclipses would be as boring as the sunrise and sunset are, even though all are equally miraculous.
