Why is a solar eclipse of a shorter duration than a lunar eclipse?

Answer 1

The reason a solar eclipse is shorter and more elusive than a lunar eclipse is because of the relative sizes of the shadows of Earth and the Moon.

The shadow of the Moon is much smaller, so it takes less time for the shadow to pass over a given point on the surface of the Earth. However, the shadow of the Earth and the smaller surface of the Moon means that it takes longer for the Earth's shadow to pass over a given point on the Moon's surface.

Answer 2

During a lunar eclipse (that's really not the technically correct term for what is happening, but it has become so popular that it is here to stay) the much larger earth can cast an umbral shadow that covers the entire face of the moon for a considerable length of time. Virtually everyone on earth who is able to view the moon during the time of the eclipse can see it. It takes quite a while, more than an hour, for the earth's shadow to pass completely over the face of the moon.

During a solar eclipse, the much smaller moon casts a full (umbral) shadow on only a small width of earth's surface at a time, and the location of that full shadow sweeps across the earth, with sunlit surface ahead of its path, and with sunlight continuing behind it once it passes. So solar eclipses last only minutes.

Answer 3

A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the Earth's shadow. The Earth's shadow is much larger than the moon so the moon takes a long time to pass though the shadow. Think of it like an ant passing through a shadow of your hand. A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly in-between the Sun and the Earth. The moon is just barely large enough to cover up the sun in the sky. Because they appear to be the same size the moon can only completely cover up the sun for a short period of time.

Answer 4

It is not; solar and lunar eclipses are equally common.

We PERCEIVE that lunar eclipses are more common, because a lunar eclipse happens ON THE MOON, and is visible from the entire night half of the Earth. Solar eclipses affect only a very narrow track across the surface of the Earth, so comparatively few people will see one, unless they go looking for it.

Answer 5

Because that's the rate of rotation of the earth - in many millions of years, it will exceed 7 minutes, as the earth slows down (assuming the moon is still in alignment).

Answer 6

they only last for a short period of time because the moon is still moving just as we are.