Eclipses are a result of the concealment of a celestial body by another one. As a result, people on Earth can see a shadow on the celestial body that is cloaked. Two major types of eclipses exist: solar and lunar.
Solar Eclipse
You can see a solar eclipse when the moon is positioned between the Earth and the sun. This results in a shadow on the planet. This type of eclipse usually causes a shadow that entirely or partially blocks sunlight from reaching the Earth. Solar eclipses typically last for a short time, and they happen during the day when there is a full moon.
A solar eclipse can appear as a total solar eclipse, partial solar eclipse, annular solar eclipse, or hybrid solar eclipse. When there’s a total solar eclipse, the moon entirely blocks the sun’s rays from reaching the Earth. For a partial solar eclipse, the moon blocks only a small amount of the sun’s rays.
Annular and hybrid solar eclipses are not easily noticeable. When there’s an annular solar eclipse, the moon is centered around the sun but doesn’t cover the sun completely, leading to the formation of the annulus or ring of fire by its outer edges. A hybrid solar eclipse is an infrequent type of solar eclipse that combines a total and annular eclipse.
Lunar Eclipse
Also known as the eclipse of the moon, a lunar eclipse happens when the Earth is positioned between the sun and the moon. This prevents the sun’s rays from reaching the moon’s surface. The lunar eclipse usually happens during a full moon. The eclipse can last for a few hours, which makes it easier for you to catch it.
A lunar eclipse can appear in the form of a total lunar eclipse, partial lunar eclipse, or penumbral lunar eclipse. When there’s a total lunar eclipse, the Earth entirely blocks the sun’s rays from reaching the moon’s surface.
For a partial lunar eclipse, the Earth only blocks a small portion of the sun’s rays from reaching the moon’s surface. When the moon moves to the penumbral part of Earth’s shadow, you see a penumbral lunar eclipse. It’s the least noticeable type of lunar eclipse.
In many places around the world, the lunar eclipse causes nervousness, and it puts people on edge due to its blood-red appearance. Over the years, superstitious folks have blamed its occurrence as an act of God or supreme beings.
Conclusion
Eclipses are fascinating to see, especially if you’re into astronomy. According to the timeanddate website, the next total solar eclipse will be on December 4th, 2021. You can see it from the South Pacific, South Africa, Antarctica, and South America. You can catch a total lunar eclipse on May 26th, 2021.
