Enchanting Eclipses, When the Sun, Earth, and Moon, align!
- wesknows
- Feb 28
- 4 min read
If you’ve ever seen the sky darken in the middle of the day or watched the Moon turn an eerie shade of red, Yay for you! You’ve witnessed one of the most fascinating cosmic events—an eclipse!
Eclipses happen when the Sun, Earth, and Moon line up perfectly, casting shadows in space. But did you know there are two types of eclipses? Let’s break it down and explore the science, history, and mystery of eclipses!
What is an Eclipse?
An eclipse happens when one celestial body blocks the light from another, creating a shadow. In our case, this involves the Sun, Earth, and Moon.
There are two main types:
Solar Eclipse – The Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, blocking sunlight.
Lunar Eclipse – The Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon.
If everything were perfectly aligned all the time, we’d have an eclipse twice every month! But since the Moon’s orbit is slightly tilted, we only get a few eclipses per year. Read my Moon Post to learn about this.
Let’s take a closer look at how each type of eclipse works!
Lunar Eclipses – Earth’s Shadow on the Moon
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth blocks sunlight from reaching the Moon, causing a shadow to fall over its surface.
Types of Lunar Eclipses
Total Lunar Eclipse – The Moon is completely covered by Earth’s shadow and turns a reddish-brown colour (also known as a Blood Moon).
Partial Lunar Eclipse – Only a part of the Moon is covered by Earth’s shadow.
Penumbral Lunar Eclipse – The Moon passes through the outer part of Earth's shadow, making it slightly dim.
Credit : Time and Date
Lunar eclipses can happen up to twice a year, and they’re visible from anywhere on Earth where the Moon is above the horizon at the time!
Solar Eclipses – When the Moon Blocks the Sun
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, casting a shadow on Earth’s surface.
Types of Solar Eclipses
Total Solar Eclipse – The Moon completely blocks the Sun, and only the glowing outer layers (corona and chromosphere) are visible.
Partial Solar Eclipse – The Moon covers only a portion of the Sun.
Annular Solar Eclipse – The Moon appears slightly smaller than the Sun, leaving a glowing "ring of fire"around the edges.
Hybrid Solar Eclipse – A rare eclipse that shifts between an annular and total eclipse as it moves across Earth’s surface.
Credit: Time and Date
The path where a total solar eclipse is visible is called the Path of Totality. If you're inside this path, day turns to night for a few minutes! The longest recorded total eclipse lasted 7 minutes and 8 seconds!
Eclipse Data Dump!
Celestial Bodies Involved: Sun, Earth, Moon
Lunar Eclipse Frequency: 1-2 times per year
Solar Eclipse Frequency: 2-5 times per year
Longest Total Solar Eclipse: 7 minutes 8 seconds
Next Total Solar Eclipse: August 12, 2026 (Greenland, Iceland, Spain)
Eclipses in History & Mythology
For thousands of years, eclipses have amazed—and even terrified—people. Before we understood the science, many cultures believed eclipses were signs from the gods or warnings of disaster.
The Ancient Greeks thought an eclipse meant the gods were angry.
The Egyptians and Mayans believed eclipses symbolized change and transformation.
In Asia, people believed a dragon was eating the Sun during a solar eclipse.
In some Native American legends, a bear or jaguar was thought to be fighting with the Sun or Moon.
Many ancient cultures performed rituals like making loud noises, drumming, and dancing to scare away the eclipse!
My Eclipse Experience – Waco, Texas (2024)
In April 2024, I traveled from Perth, Australia, to Waco, Texas, to witness a total solar eclipse. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I had the chance to meet and chat with incredible scientists and eclipse chasers who had traveled from all over the world to see this event.
Experiencing totality firsthand—watching the Sun’s corona shimmer in the sky, feeling the temperature drop, and hearing the crowd erupt in awe—was absolutely unforgettable. The unique journey even caught the attention of some news stations, and I had the opportunity to share my excitement about eclipses on local Texas news, Good Morning America, and a German news channel.
Here's my adventures
If you ever get a chance to see a total solar eclipse, do it—it’s an experience like no other!
Upcoming Solar Eclipses
🌕 FUN FACT: every location on Earth will be able to see a lunar eclipse on average every 2.5 years.
March 29, 2025 – Partial Solar Eclipse (visible from North America and Europe)
August 12, 2026 – Total Solar Eclipse (visible in Greenland, Iceland, and northern Spain)
August 2, 2027 – Total Solar Eclipse (visible in North Africa and the Middle East)
Make sure to check an eclipse map to see if one is visible from your location.
You might be able to see the next one I'm looking forward to.
Eclipses are some of the most breathtaking events in the sky. Whether it’s a lunar eclipse turning the Moon red or a solar eclipse turning day into night, these cosmic events remind us how perfectly the Sun, Earth, and Moon dance together in space.
If you ever get the chance to witness one, grab your eclipse glasses and look up!
Comments