Eclipses

 One celestial object hidden by other

or in the shadow of another
 Solar eclipse: sun hidden by the

moon
 Lunar eclipse: moon in earth’s

shadow (sun hidden from moon by

earth)
 Spectacular because moon and sun

appear to be the same size from

earth
 Solar Eclipses

The Sun is vanishing! The Sun is going out! The daylight is retreating!
 The Modern View
The answer lies hidden among the shadows.

Moon

Earth
Shadow Structure

Penumbra

Umbra

Penumbra
Solar Eclipses

 Umbra – region of total shadow

 Penumbra – region of partial shadow
 Totality lasts only a few minutes!
 Why isn’t there a solar eclipse every month?
 Inside the
Umbra

 It gets dark
 Temperatures drop
 Birds stop singing
 Nature slows down
 Solar Eclipse Details
North
Pole

Moon
Sun

What is the phase of the moon? South

New Moon! Pole
Solar Eclipse Images
Total Solar Eclipse
Solar Eclipse
A Total Solar
Eclipse from
beginning to end
Interesting Features
The Diamond Ring
 Why not a solar eclipse every month then?
Moon

Earth
5o
Ecliptic
Moon’s
Sun Orbit

Moon's orbit is tilted about 5o with respect

to the Earth's orbit (ecliptic), so the
shadows usually miss!
 But, the Moon passes through the ecliptic twice
a month.
 *IF* at new moon - SOLAR ECLIPSE
probability.
Annular Solar Eclipse
 Partial Solar Eclipse

During a total solar eclipse, depending on

your location during the event, you might only
see part of the Sun’s face blocked because of
your observing vantage point.
 Lunar Eclipses
Moon moves into
earth’s
shadow…

…and out of it
(takes hours!)
 A Lunar Eclipse

Earth
Sun
Moon’s
Path
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon
Earth lies between the Sun and
Moon, so that Earth's shadow
darkens the Moon.
This image shows a complete transition during a
lunar eclipse. Notice that the phase of the moon is
“full.”
The moon becomes a blood red color during a total lunar
eclipse. No wonder that ancient cultures feared the appearance
of the moon during a lunar eclipse.
Totality

Totality

Q: Why does the Moon look orange in

total lunar eclipses
 Totality

Totality
A: Because the sky on Earth is blue.
The Earth’s atmosphere’s air molecules
filter out red & orange frequencies by
scattering them into Earth’s night side.
This
“rest light” illuminates the Moon
(weakly).
 The Blood Moon

Moon
Earth

Sunlight
Earth’s Atmosphere

The moon often does not totally disappear during a total lunar eclipse.
Instead it can be seen as a very dark red color because of the refraction of
sunlight through the Earth's atmosphere.
Lunar Eclipse Types
Total Penumbral
Eclipse

Total Lunar
Eclipse
Partial Lunar
Eclipse

Partial Penumbral
Eclipse
 Tides
 Daily
fluctuations in
the ocean levels
 Two high and
two low tides per
day
 A result of the
difference in
gravitational pull
from one side of
the Earth to the
other
 There are two
tidal bulges, i.e. The idea behind Tides
two high tides
per day,
because:
 Moon pulls
water towards
it on one side
 Earth is pulled
towards the
Moon, away
from the water
on the other Force of Moon on
side water (strong)
Force of Moon on Earth (weaker)
Force of Moon on “back-water” (much weaker)
 Spring and Neap Tides
 Tides especially
pronounced when
Sun and Moon
“work together”

 Same direction 
Spring tide
Other direction 
Neap tide