eclipses are rare events that usually only last a few minutes. That is because the Moon’s
shadow only covers a very small area on Earth and Earth is turning very rapidly. As the
Sun is covered by the moon’s shadow, it will actually get cooler outside. Birds may begin to
sing, and stars will become visible in the sky. During a solar eclipse, the corona and solar
prominences can be seen.
Figure 24.23: A Solar Eclipse. ( 26 )A Lunar Eclipse
Alunar eclipseoccurs when the full moon moves through the shadow of the Earth (Figure
24.25). This can only happen when the Earth is between the Moon and the Sun and all three
are lined up in the same plane, called the ecliptic. The ecliptic is the plane of Earth’s orbit
around the Sun. The Earth’s shadow has two distinct parts: the umbra and the penumbra.
Theumbrais the inner, cone shaped part of the shadow, in which all of the light has been
blocked. The outer part of Earth’s shadow is thepenumbrawhere only part of the light
is blocked. In the penumbra, the light is dimmed but not totally absent. A total lunar
eclipse occurs when the Moon travels completely in Earth’s umbra. During a partial lunar