As a result, lunar eclipses tend to come in batches when the Moon is at a similar inclination. This is because the Moon's orbit around Earth is not in a flat plane - it's angled at about five degrees, which means that the Moon often goes above or below Earth's shadow as it orbits around.
LUNAR ECLIPSE VERSUS SOLAR ECLIPSE FULL
But despite the Moon only taking 29.5 days to orbit Earth and complete a cycle from full Moon to full Moon, there are only on average about three lunar eclipses every year.
On the subject of the frequency of occurrence, both types of eclipses have an almost similar frequency of occurrence. The solar eclipse takes place for a period of between 7 and minutes while the solar eclipse takes at least one hour. The solar eclipse is shorter than the lunar eclipse. For example, between 2000BC to 3000AD there will be 11,898 solar eclipses and 12,064 lunar eclipses. Why isn't there a lunar eclipse every month?Ī lunar eclipse only occurs during a full Moon, when the Sun, Earth and Moon are all aligned. Another difference arises from the duration of both events. Solar eclipses are not actually rarer than lunar eclipses in fact, they occur in about equal numbers, usually about two of each per year. Try to minimise the light in your vicinity and, ideally, watch from a spot where your line of sight won't be obstructed by tall buildings or trees.Ī lunar eclipse can last several hours, but the period of totality - when the Moon is completely in Earth's shadow - usually only lasts an hour or so. To get the best view you'll need to be on the night side of Earth when one occurs, and you'll need a clear sky that's free of clouds. Both lunar and solar eclipses are the processes that have three celestial bodies in common: the Sun, the Moon and the Earth.
LUNAR ECLIPSE VERSUS SOLAR ECLIPSE HOW TO
How to get the best view of a lunar eclipse The amount of Moon we see changes over the month lunar phases because the Moon orbits Earth and Earth orbits the Sun.
They also can be viewed without special equipment to protect the eyes. Fast Facts What are lunar phases and eclipses The moonlight we see on Earth is sunlight reflected off the Moon's grayish-white surface. This is because lunar eclipses only reflect sunlight - they don't get any brighter than a full Moon, which you've probably safely observed many times before. In the solar eclipse, the position of the three celestial bodies is sun, moon, and earth. Lunar eclipses can be seen by a much larger area of the Earth than solar eclipses. The good thing about all types of lunar eclipse is that, unlike a solar eclipse, they are safe to view with the naked eye. Solar eclipses always take place on new moons while lunar eclipses always take place on full moons, so you can think of them as being super-powered versions of these lunations.
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