Why doesn't a total lunar eclipse occur every month?

Answer 1

While the sun, planets including earth, and moon are on approximately the same plane, they are not on EXACTLY the same plane. If the moon's orbit was "flat" with respect to earth's orbit around the sun, you would have a monthly eclipse. Is isn't; the moon's orbit is inclined slightly and therefore we only have eclipses at certain cyclical times when everything is in alignment.

Answer 2

A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are perfectly aligned in a straight line, with the Earth in the middle. This alignment does not happen every month because the orbit of the Moon is tilted relative to the Earth's orbit around the Sun, so they are not always perfectly aligned.

Answer 3

The plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun is called the "ecliptic". Most of the other planets and moons orbit in planes that are close to the ecliptic, but none of them have orbital planes that are exactly the same.

The Moon's orbital plane is about 8 degrees angled to the ecliptic. So most times, the Moon is either above the ecliptic at the new or full, or below it. It is only when the new moon is on the eclliptic that we have a solar eclipse, and only when the full moon is on the ecliptic that we have a lunar eclipse.

Answer 4

The reason why we don't see eclipses every month is because the Moon orbit is not perfectly aligned with Earth's orbit. Because of this, most months, the Moon is either too far above or below the plane of earth's orbit to for one to pass through the shadow of the other. It is only when the intersection of the two planes is pointed at the Sun at the same time that the Moon enters this intersection that we will have an eclipse.

Answer 5

We don't see lunar and solar eclipses every month because the plane of the Earth's orbital path around the Sun is not aligned with the plane of the Moon's orbital path around the Earth. They are inclined with respect to each other by about 5.145 degrees.

Answer 6

the reason we do not have one is because the sun does not circle the earth every full moon it only circles it once a year and that makes it turn back you blood red!!!!!!!! I think that is soooo cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

Because the sun moon and the earth aren't lined up properly for this to happen.

Answer 8

Because the Moon's orbit is tilted relative to the Earth's.

Answer 9

The moon's orbit is tilted relative to Earth's orbit around the sun. As a result, most of the time a full moon occurs, the alignment of the sun, moon, and Earth is not perfect.

Answer 10

The plane of the lunar orbit is not in the plane of the elliptic (the plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun). Thus the two sets of orbits only match up twice a year.