Eclipses takes place when the sun, moon, and Earth are in a straight line with respect to each other and the light from one body is blocked from view. Straight lines and shadows - that s about the only thing that lunar and solar eclipses have in common. Solar eclipses are showy, glittering, adrenaline-pumping experiences. Lunar eclipses are sedate and quite, an interplay of subtle shadow and muted colors. Solar eclipses take place in the daytime and last for a matter of minutes.
Lunar eclipses take place at night and take more than an hour to complete.
The orbit, like a hula- hoop spinning around your hips, doesn t stay perfectly flat. Sometimes it s tilted up and sometimes it s tilted down, and the dots of the Earth, moon, and sun can t be connected in a straight line. Eclipse shadows, whether created by the moon or Earth, are always composed of two cone-shaped parts, one inside the other. The outer area, called the penumbra, is lighter and only a portion of the light is blocked. The inner area, called the umbra, is dark and all direct light is blocked.