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Solar and lunar eclipses are accidents, caused by the fact that the Moon orbits in a slightly different plane around the Earth than the Earth does around the Sun. If they were in exactly the same plane, we'd have solar eclipses at every new moon, and lunar eclipses at every full moon.
They are also "accidental" in the sense that it is an amazing coincidence that the apparent angular size of the Moon in the sky is almost exactly the same as the angular size of the Sun; even though the Sun is enormously larger, the Moon is closer by the same proportion.
If the Moon were much smaller, or orbited in a plane more tilted to the ecliptic, then we would never see eclipses.
In terms of the effects of a solar eclipse on us, the inhabitants of the Earth, the Moon is like a big stony cloud that blocks the Sun for a couple of minutes. It has absolutely no physical effect on us.
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How many solar eclipses happen each year?
There are generally, on average, two solar eclipses per year. Sometimes there are fewer. In 2011, there will be 4 partial solar eclipses (and two total lunar ones. Sometimes there are more; the maximum possible would be five. But on average, two per year. Of these solar eclipses, about 25% are total and 25% are annular, with the remainder being partial. Lunar eclipses also occur, on average, twice a year. Roughly half are total; the remainder are partial or penumbral. During the 100 years of the 20th Century (1901 - 2000), there were 228 solar eclipses and 229 lunar ones, for an average of about 2.3 per year. Any one year may have 2 - 5 of each.
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.
How would solar eclipses be different if the Moon were twice as far from EarthWhy?
If the Moon were at twice its orbital distance, there would be no total solar eclipses, only annular ones. This is because the umbra, the complete shadow of the Moon, would not reach to the Earth. I would have to run the numbers to be certain, but I suspect that there would be no total lunar eclipses, either, for the same reason. However, you would probably be able to see the shadow of the Earth passing across the face of the Moon!
What would happen if you didnt have patriotism?
nothing
What were the Aztecs beliefs on solar eclipses?
Aztecs believed that if a pregnant woman saw an eclipse, her baby would be born with a cleft pallet.
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.
In which quarter does a solar eclipse occur?
Solar eclipses happen somewhere around the world every 18 months or so. This means that over the course of a six year period you would have the following distribution. Year 1 First Quarter, Year 2 Third Quarter, Year Four Second Quarter Year Six Fourth Quarter. Therefore solar eclipses can happen in any quarter
What would happen if eclipses happen every month?
The moon phases would change.
How often can you expect to see an eclipse?
There are generally two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses each year. A lunar eclipse happens when the shadow of the Earth falls on the Moon. Each lunar eclipse is visible from the entire night half of the Earth, so on average you will see one lunar eclipse per year, from wherever on Earth that you live. There are also two total solar eclipses per year, but the shadow of the Moon on the Earth is much smaller. So the average person will hardly ever see a solar eclipse, unless you travel to the place where the eclipse will happen. On average, you can expect a solar eclipse to happen where you live once every 58 years. If you would like to see when the next solar eclipse will happen where you live, the link below to the Solar Eclipse Calendar will be useful. To see all solar eclipses in the world, the "World Solar Eclipse" link will give you a map.
How did Tenskwata the prophet know when the solar eclipse would happen?
A few ancient civilizations had methods of predicting the occurrence of solar and lunar eclipses. The most famous is Stonehenge, an astronomical observatory in England. Eclipses are mathematically predictable; if you know the patterns of past eclipses, you can anticipate the next one. Today, we use elaborate computer models to calculate the time and location of future eclipses, but manual calculation techniques in antiquity still provided adequate accuracy for predictions.
Would lunar eclipses happen if earth were larger?
yes
Why does the eclipse happen so late does it happen every years or in the 100s of years?
Both solar eclipses and lunar eclipses are fairly common; there are 1-2 of each every year. ______________________________ Solar eclipses SEEM TO BE rare, because each one affects only a small area on the Earth. For example, the last total solar eclipse had a path across the south Pacific Ocean, including a few atolls in French Polynesia, Easter Island, and the southern tip of South America. If you live in a particular spot and never travel much, you might see one solar eclipse in your lifetime, and you might NOT. It would be rare for one place to see two total solar eclipses in one lifetime. (But not impossible; Carbondale, IL will have two total solar eclipses 8 years apart, in 2017 and 2024. ) On the other hand, if you live in Los Angeles, CA, the next total solar eclipse will be in about 500 years.
How often will a solar eclipse happen?
Solar eclipses happen about twice a year, on average. Depending on the precise alignment of the Sun, Moon and Earth, we sometimes get two partial eclipses instead of one total or annular eclipse. However, because a solar eclipse affects a very small area of the Earth, it's rare to have two solar eclipses in the same area less than about 60 years apart. However, there will be a total eclipse with a path of totality across the USA from west to east in 2017, and a total eclipse that will track from southwest to northeast in 2024. The paths cross at Carbondale, IL, and within about 30 miles of there one would experience two total solar eclipses only 7 years apart.
How is a solar eclipse different without a moon?
Without a moon, there would be nothing to cast a shadow on the Earth - therefore, no solar eclipses.
How many solar eclipses happen each year?
There are generally, on average, two solar eclipses per year. Sometimes there are fewer. In 2011, there will be 4 partial solar eclipses (and two total lunar ones. Sometimes there are more; the maximum possible would be five. But on average, two per year. Of these solar eclipses, about 25% are total and 25% are annular, with the remainder being partial. Lunar eclipses also occur, on average, twice a year. Roughly half are total; the remainder are partial or penumbral. During the 100 years of the 20th Century (1901 - 2000), there were 228 solar eclipses and 229 lunar ones, for an average of about 2.3 per year. Any one year may have 2 - 5 of each.
How often does an eclipes happen?
There are generally two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses each year. Sometimes instead of having one total eclipse, we have two partial eclipses a month apart. The minimum number of eclipses in any year is one; the maximum possible would be five. We get the idea that lunar eclipses are more common than solar eclipses, but that's not true. It SEEMS that way, because solar eclipses (when the Moon's shadow hits the Earth) affect a very small path across the Earth's surface, and people outside this path don't generally notice the eclipse. But a lunar eclipse, when the Earth's shadow darkens the Moon, happens ON THE MOON, and is visible from the entire night half of the Earth. So many more people get to see a lunar eclipse, while only a few are in the path of a solar eclipse.
Can eclipses only happen when the Earth and the moon and the stars are perfectly lined up?
Not quite. Solar and lunar eclipses occur when the Earth, the Moon, and ONE PARTICULAR star - our Sun - line up perfectly. If just any star would qualify as an eclipse, then there would be dozens of eclipses each night, as the Moon eclipsed - or, to use the proper term, occulted - each star.
