What creates a total solar eclipse? - Andy Cohen?

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks out the sun completely from our view on Earth.

Imagine you're sitting at a table with your favorite cookie in front of you, that’s the sun. Now, your brother walks by and holds up a big plate, that’s the moon. If he lines it up just right between you and the cookie, poof! The cookie disappears from view, that’s what happens during a total solar eclipse.

The moon orbits around the Earth, and sometimes its path takes it directly in front of the sun. When this happens, and everything lines up perfectly, we get to see a total solar eclipse.

It's like when you stand between your friend and their favorite toy, you block the view, just like the moon blocks out the sun.

Not every time the moon passes in front of the sun do we get an eclipse. The moon has to be at the right distance from Earth so it looks big enough to cover the whole sun, just like how your brother needs to hold that plate close enough for it to block your cookie completely!