What Causes a ‘Total’ Solar Eclipse and How Is It Different from a Partial One?

A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon completely blocks out the Sun, while a partial one is when only part of the Sun is covered.

Imagine you're eating a giant chocolate bar, that’s the Sun. Now, your brother comes in and takes a bite with his mouth, that’s the Moon. If he eats the whole bar, it’s like a total solar eclipse: everything gets dark, just like when you turn off the lights in the room. But if he only eats part of it, then some light still shines through, that's a partial solar eclipse, like when you leave one corner of the chocolate untouched.

When the Moon is exactly between the Sun and Earth, it can block all the sunlight. That’s why everything gets really dark, just like when your brother eats the whole chocolate bar, and you can’t see anything.

But if the Moon isn’t perfectly lined up, only part of the Sun gets covered. It's like your brother takes a small bite out of the chocolate, some light still comes through, so it doesn't get completely dark.