During a solar eclipse, the Sun appears to be completely blocked when viewed from a specific location on Earth. This phenomenon occurs due to the alignment of the Sun, the Moon, and the observer.
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow on Earth's surface. There are two primary types of solar eclipses: total and partial.
In a total solar eclipse, the Moon aligns perfectly with the Sun, causing its apparent size to match that of the Sun when observed from Earth. As a result, the Moon's disk appears to completely cover the Sun, creating a temporary period of darkness in the areas within the Moon's shadow called the umbra. Only a narrow region on Earth experiences a total eclipse, while surrounding areas see a partial eclipse.
The Moon's ability to completely block the Sun during a total solar eclipse is due to two factors:
Apparent sizes: Although the Sun is significantly larger than the Moon, it is also much farther away. The Sun's diameter is about 400 times greater than the Moon's, but its distance from Earth is roughly 400 times farther. As a result, both the Sun and the Moon appear to be nearly the same size in the sky, allowing the Moon to precisely cover the Sun during a total solar eclipse.
Coincidence of orbits: The Moon's orbit around the Earth is tilted by about 5 degrees relative to the Earth's orbit around the Sun. However, the Moon's orbital plane intersects the Earth's orbital plane at two points called the lunar nodes. A solar eclipse can only occur when the Moon is near one of these lunar nodes, aligning the three bodies and creating the potential for an eclipse.
When the Moon aligns with the Sun, its shadow is cast onto Earth's surface. The central part of the shadow, called the umbra, is where the Sun is entirely blocked. Within this region, observers witness a total solar eclipse, experiencing the awe-inspiring sight of the Sun's corona, or outer atmosphere, visible around the darkened Moon.
It is important to note that directly observing a solar eclipse without proper eye protection can be hazardous to vision. Looking at the Sun without appropriate filters, such as specialized eclipse glasses or solar filters, can cause severe eye damage. It is always recommended to use proper safety precautions or observe a solar eclipse indirectly through projection methods or live streams provided by reputable sources.