What are eclipses?

An eclipse happens when one object blocks the light from another, just like when you put your hand between a lamp and a toy.

Imagine it’s nighttime, and you’re playing with your flashlight and a ball. If you hold the flashlight up high, shine it on the ball, and then move your head in front of the ball, poof! The light gets blocked, and the ball goes dark for a moment. That’s kind of what happens during an eclipse.

There are two main kinds of eclipses: solar and lunar.

• A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Sun and the Earth, blocking the Sun's light.
• A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon, like when you block the light from your lamp with your hand, the ball gets a dark spot.

Sometimes it feels magical, but really, it’s just big objects playing hide-and-seek with light, just like you do with your toys!