Science Year 6

Eclipses
By Teacher Noor
What is ECLIPSE?
¤ A natural phenomenon that occurs when all or part of the sunlight is blocked by
the Moon or the Earth.
¤ Caused by the position of the Sun, the Earth and the Moon in a straight line.
¤ Sunlight travels in a straight line and cannot pass through opaque objects i.e the
Earth or the Moon.
¤ 2 types of eclipse:
a) Eclipse of the Sun
b) Eclipse of the Moon
 Eclipse of the Moon
¤ The Sun, Earth, and Moon are in a straight line. The Earth blocks the sunlight from
reaching the Moon. The Earth’s shadow is formed on the surface of the Moon.
¤ Can occur three times a year. The duration of the eclipse of the Moon usually happens
for several hours.
¤ Characteristics of Lunar eclipse:
a) occurs at night
b) occurs during the full moon phase
c) occurs when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon
Eclipse of the Moon
Partial eclipse of the
Moon will be visible
again when the Moon
moves out of the
totally dark area to
the partially dark
area.
Total eclipse of the
Moon can be seen
when the whole Moon
is in the totally dark
area.

Partial eclipse of the

Moon starts to appear
when the Moon begins
to move out of the
partially dark area
to the totally dark
area.
Eclipse of the Sun
¤ The Sun, the Moon, and the Earth are in a straight line. The Moon blocks
sunlight from reaching the Earth. The Moon’s shadow is formed on the surface of
the Earth.
¤ Can occur at least twice a year. The eclipse of the Sun usually lasts for only a
few minutes.
¤ During a total solar eclipse of the Sun, the surroundings will be as dark as
night. The Sun appears as a dark circle surrounded by a bright ring called a
corona.
¤ Characteristics of the eclipse of the Sun:
a) Occurs during daytime only.
b) Occurs when the Moon is in the new Moon phase.
c) Occurs when the Moon is between the Sun and the Earth.
Eclipse of the Sun
The entire Sun is The Sun is partly
blocked by the Moon blocked by the Moon.
and can only be seen The Sun can only be
from the area of the seen from the area of
Moon’s shadow that the Moon’s shadow
is totally dark. that is partially dark.

corona
The End

Thank You