Eclipses

What are the phases of the moon?  What causes them? 

The rotation of the moon around Earth and the Earth around sun causes the phases of the moon.  Different sections of the month reveal the moon to have sun reflecting off different parts of it.

The phases of the moon are:

New moon – The whole moon facing Earth is dark.

Waxing Crescent – After the new moon.  A sliver of light shows.

1^st Quarter – Half of the moon is lit up and visible to earth.

Waxing Gibbous – A crescent/sliver of the moon is dark and the rest is light.

Full Moon – The whole moon is bright.  None of it is dark.

Waning Gibbous – A sliver of the moon is dark (on the opposite side of a waxing gibbous)

3^rd Quarter – Half of the moon is dark (on the opposite side of the 1^st Quarter)

Waning Crescent – Most of the moon is dark (opposite side of a waxing crescent)

What are the dangers of viewing an eclipse?

When you look directly at a solar eclipse, it is dangerous because of the corona.  The moon will block the sun itself, but the aura or corona surrounding the sun, as well as radiation, could harm your eyes and even blind you.  When looking at a solar eclipse, you should have the proper equipment so that you can view it without harm.

What causes the TIDES?

The amount of gravitational pull on the moon causes the tides. 

How often do they occur?

They occur every six minutes.

What causes an eclipse?

There are two types of eclipse:  lunar and solar.  A lunar eclipse is caused by the earth blocking the light from the sun from reaching the moon.  Then, the moon cannot reflect light back to earth, making it seem dark.  A solar eclipse is caused by the moon moving in between the earth and the sun.  Since the moon is so much closer to Earth than the sun, it can block the sunlight from reaching Earth.  This will make it seem as if it is night, even if it is the middle of the day.

What is a lunar and solar eclipse?

A lunar eclipse is when the Earth moves between the sun and the moon, causing the moon to go dark.  A solar eclipse is when the moon moves between the sun and the earth, which makes the Earth go dark. 

Which type of eclipse is more common?

A lunar eclipse is more common.