Understanding Eclipses in Astronomy

In astronomy, an eclipse occurs when one celestial object blocks the light from another object. It can happen only when there are three objects involved: the object that is being eclipsed (called the "eclipsed object"), the object doing the eclipsing (called the "eclipsing object"), and the object that is passing between them (called the "intervening object").

There are two types of eclipses: lunar eclipse and solar eclipse. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, blocking the sunlight that normally reflects off the Moon's surface. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking the sunlight that normally reaches our planet.

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