A solar eclipse happens when the Moon lines up between the Sun and the Earth, covering up part or all of the Sun. If the Moon is not exactly lined up between the Sun and us, then some of the Sun will peak out. This is called a partial solar eclipse. At other times, the Moon lines up perfectly between the two. But sometimes the Sun is still not totally covered! If this happens during the time of year when the Earth (and its orbiting Moon) are relatively close to the Sun, then the Sun looks a little bigger on the sky. In this case the Sun peaks out around the outer edge of the Moon, looking like a ring of fire. This is called an annular eclipse. It can also happen at times when the Moon is a little farther from us than usual.