What Is the Difference Between a Solar and Lunar Eclipse?

A solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks out the sun, and a lunar eclipse happens when the earth blocks out the moon. Imagine you are playing with your toy cars in the sunlight, that's like a day without an eclipse. If your friend (the moon) drives between you and the sun, it gets dark for a little while, that's a solar eclipse! Now imagine the sun is shining on your toy car, and you drive behind it to block the light, that’s like a lunar eclipse.

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Examples

  1. When your friend (the moon) blocks the sun during playtime, that's a solar eclipse.
  2. The Earth coming between you and the moon makes it look red, that’s like a lunar eclipse.
  3. Imagine the moon taking a bath in a shadowy, blood-red pool, that’s a total lunar eclipse.

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Categories: Space · eclipse· moon· sun· astronomy