NEWS – On April 8, a total solar eclipse crossed North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada

DEFINITION

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, obstructing sunlight in varying degrees.

TYPES OF SOLAR ECLIPSES

1. Total Solar Eclipse
   • Moon fully blocks the Sun, causing darkness in the central shadow region.
   • Offers a view of the Sun’s corona.
2. Annular Solar Eclipse
   • Moon covers the Sun’s center but leaves a ring of sunlight visible around it.
   • Occurs when the Moon is farthest from Earth.
3. Partial Solar Eclipse
   • Moon partially covers the Sun, creating a crescent shape.
   • Outside the central shadow (umbra), a partial eclipse is observed.
4. Hybrid Solar Eclipse
   • Rare type transitioning between total and annular eclipses.
   • Different regions experience either total or annular phases.

VISUAL EFFECTS

• Total Solar Eclipse: Darkens the sky; reveals the Sun’s corona.
• Annular Solar Eclipse: Creates a “ring of fire” effect.
• Partial Solar Eclipse: Shows a crescent-shaped Sun.
• Hybrid Solar Eclipse: Shifts between total and annular phases.

FREQUENCY OF SOLAR ECLIPSES

Occurrence during New Moon

• A solar eclipse happens during the new moon phase.
• New moons occur approximately every 29.5 days due to the Moon’s orbit around Earth.

Not Monthly Events

• Solar eclipses don’t occur monthly despite new moons.
• They happen only 2 to 5 times annually.

Orbital Inclination and Nodes

• Moon’s tilt (about 5 degrees) to Earth’s orbit causes eclipse rarity.
• The Moon’s orbit intersects Earth’s orbit at nodes.
• Solar eclipses occur when the new moon crosses these nodes.

RARITY OF TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSES

Umbral Shadow

• Total eclipses occur in the umbra, the darkest part of the shadow.
• Umbra covers less than 1% of Earth’s surface.

Geographic Factors

• Most of the globe is uninhabited or underwater.
• Only a small population gets to witness a total eclipse at a time.

Frequency Statistics

• Total solar eclipses happen about once every 18 months.
• A specific location experiences a total solar eclipse once every 400 years.