Learn About Solar Eclipses

black disk passing over fiery orange disk

A solar eclipse as seen from NASA's SDO (Solar Dynamics Observatory) satellite, as the Moon passed between SDO and the Sun.

Remember, during Solar Week you can ask the scientists a question and they will answer on the bulletin board. Click on "Ask a Question" in the left-hand menu.

There was at the same time something in its singular and wonderful
appearance that was appalling: and I can readily imagine that uncivilized
nations may occasionally have become alarmed and
terrified at such an object.

Some people see a partial eclipse and wonder why others talk so much
about a total eclipse. Seeing a partial eclipse and saying that you
have seen an eclipse is like standing outside an opera house and saying
that you have seen the opera; in both cases, you have missed the main event.

- Jay Pasachoff (1983)

Eclipse Geometry movie: Shows the geometry of solar and lunar eclipses

On occasion, such as will happen on August 21, 2017,  the Moon will pass briefly in front of the Sun and cast its shadow on the Earth. Through a great cosmic coincidence, the size of the Moon as seen from the Earth appears to be just about the same size as the Sun; the Moon just blocks the light from the Sun's surface but leaves the light from the Sun's outer atmosphere visible thus creating a beautiful total solar eclipse.

To continue, please use the links :

Eclipse Information Page

The Solar Corona

Eclipses in History

 

 

Multiverse skin is based on Greytness by Adammer