Astronomy › Section D · Earth, Moon, and sky › Topic D.6
Eclipses of the Sun and Moon
By a lucky coincidence, the Moon and the Sun look almost exactly the same size in our sky. That is why the Moon can blot out the Sun for a few breathtaking minutes, and why Earth's shadow can turn the full moon a deep coppery red.
In this topic
- A cosmic coincidence
- Worked example: total or annular?
- Why not every month?
- Total and partial solar eclipses
- Inside the path of totality
- Watching safely
- Eclipses of the Moon
- Worked example: why the eclipsed Moon turns red
- Who can see them, and when
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
This topic is part of Wuanberri Pro. Checking your access…