Why lunar eclipses are more common than solar eclipses and why so few people ever have a chance to view a total solar eclipse?

Answer 1

They are not more common; there are generally two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses each year.

The PERCEPTION is that solar eclipses are more rare, and here's why. The Earth is much larger than the Moon, so the Earth's shadow is much larger than the Moon's shadow, right? In fact, the Earth's shadow can cover up the entire Moon at once. But the Moon is smaller than the Earth, and the Moon's shadow is much smaller yet; the diameter of the Moon's shadow is never much more than about 300 miles. The Earth has a diameter of about 8,000 miles, so only a tiny area of the Earth is affected by any solar eclipse.

There are two other points. A lunar eclipse happens on the Moon, and is visible from half of the Earth at once. A solar eclipse is only visible at the point of the Moon's shadow on the Earth, and 75% of the Earth's surface is water. So 3/4 of all solar eclipse time is visible only to people in ships! The last total solar eclipse had a path that went all the way across India and then all the way across China, and millions of people live there. THEN it went most of the way across the Pacific Ocean, and only a few people living on Iwo Jima got to see that part. The next total solar eclipse will be 90% over water, from mid-Pacific to Easter Island to the southern tip of Chile and Venezuela. Hardly anyone will be able to see it.

Answer 2

They are not more common; there are generally two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses each year.

The PERCEPTION is that solar eclipses are more rare, and here's why. The Earth is much larger than the Moon, so the Earth's shadow is much larger than the Moon's shadow, right? In fact, the Earth's shadow can cover up the entire Moon at once. But the Moon is smaller than the Earth, and the Moon's shadow is much smaller yet; the diameter of the Moon's shadow is never much more than about 300 miles. The Earth has a diameter of about 8,000 miles, so only a tiny area of the Earth is affected by any solar eclipse.

There are two other points. A lunar eclipse happens on the Moon, and is visible from half of the Earth at once. A solar eclipse is only visible at the point of the Moon's shadow on the Earth, and 75% of the Earth's surface is water. So 3/4 of all solar eclipse time is visible only to people in ships! The last total solar eclipse had a path that went all the way across India and then all the way across China, and millions of people live there. THEN it went most of the way across the Pacific Ocean, and only a few people living on Iwo Jima got to see that part. The next total solar eclipse will be 90% over water, from mid-Pacific to Easter Island to the southern tip of Chile and Venezuela. Hardly anyone will be able to see it.

Answer 3

Think about it.

To observe a solar eclipse safely, you must have clear skies, sunny days, and either a smokey piece of glass or welder's goggles.

To view the sun without protecttion will ruin your eyesight, and so most people will not attempt it again.

However a lunar eclipse can be viewed from anywhere on the dark side of the earth, and so a higher number of people have an opportunity. The solar eclipse passes over a very narrow strip of earth relatively quickly too.

Answer 4

Lunar eclipses can be seen from half the Earth at once, while solar eclipses can be seen from within only a relatively narrow path across the Earth's surface.

So, at any particular place, lunar eclipses are relatively common.

When you consider the Earth as a whole, total solar eclipses actually happen a bit more often than total lunar eclipses.