Eclipse (disambiguation) facts for kids

An eclipse happens when one space object blocks the light from another. It's like one object casts a shadow on another. The most common eclipses we talk about are when the Moon or Earth blocks the Sun's light, or when the Earth blocks the Sun's light from reaching the Moon.

What is an Eclipse?

An eclipse is a cool event in space where one celestial body, like a planet or moon, moves into the shadow of another. This blocks light from a third body, usually the Sun. It's a bit like playing hide-and-seek with giant objects in space!

Types of Eclipses

There are two main types of eclipses that we can see from Earth: solar eclipses and lunar eclipses. They both involve the Sun, Earth, and Moon, but in different ways.

Solar Eclipse: When the Moon Hides the Sun

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth. When this happens, the Moon blocks the Sun's light, casting a shadow on Earth. If you are in the darkest part of this shadow, called the umbra, you will see a total solar eclipse. The sky gets dark, and you can even see the Sun's outer atmosphere, called the corona, which looks like a beautiful glow.

If you are in the lighter part of the shadow, called the penumbra, you will see a partial solar eclipse. This means only part of the Sun is covered by the Moon. It's super important to never look directly at the Sun during a solar eclipse without special protective glasses. Looking at the Sun can seriously hurt your eyes!

Solar eclipses are rare in any one location because the Moon's shadow is quite small. They happen about two to five times a year somewhere on Earth.

Lunar Eclipse: When Earth Hides the Moon

A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes directly between the Sun and the Moon. When this happens, the Earth's shadow falls on the Moon, making the Moon look dim or even reddish. This is why lunar eclipses are sometimes called "Blood Moons." The red color comes from sunlight bending through Earth's atmosphere and hitting the Moon.

Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are safe to look at without special glasses. They are also much more common and can be seen by many more people at once because the Earth's shadow is much larger than the Moon's. There are three types of lunar eclipses:

• Total lunar eclipse: The entire Moon passes into Earth's darkest shadow (the umbra).
• Partial lunar eclipse: Only part of the Moon enters the Earth's umbra.
• Penumbral lunar eclipse: The Moon passes through the lighter outer part of Earth's shadow (the penumbra). These are often hard to notice.

Lunar eclipses happen at least twice a year, and sometimes up to five times.

Other Meanings of "Eclipse"

The word "eclipse" can also mean something else, like when one thing becomes less important because something else is much better or more popular.

The Eclipse Novel

Eclipse is also the title of a popular book! It is the third novel in the Twilight series, written by Stephenie Meyer. This book continues the story of Bella Swan and her adventures with vampires and werewolves. Many young people enjoy reading this fantasy series.