Why are't all eclipse total eclipse?

Answer 1

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.