What Causes a Solar Eclipse and How Is It Different from a Lunar One?

A solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks the sun, and a lunar eclipse happens when Earth blocks the light from the sun to the moon. Imagine you're holding a tiny ball (the moon) between your face (the sun) and another ball (Earth). When the tiny ball moves in front of your face, it’s a solar eclipse. When Earth moves in front of the tiny ball, it's a lunar eclipse, and sometimes the moon looks red because the light from the sun passes through Earth’s atmosphere.

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Examples

Imagine your friend holds a small ball between you and a bright lamp, that's like a solar eclipse. If they move behind the lamp instead, it's like a lunar eclipse.
During a total solar eclipse, the sky gets as dark as night in the middle of the day, while during a lunar eclipse, the full moon turns red like it’s on fire.
You might see birds stop singing during a solar eclipse, and you’ll notice Earth’s shadow painting the moon red during a lunar eclipse.

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Categories: Space · Eclipse,Moon,Sun,Celestial Events