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Most Essential Learning Competency
Most Essential Learning Competency
Explain how solar and lunar eclipse occur using models.
SOLAR & LUNAR ECLIPSE
Shadows formed when an object blocks the light. The same way how eclipses occur. An eclipse is an astronomical event when one object in the sky such as Moon and Earth moves into the shadow of another such object.
The Earth revolves around the the sun as it rotates to itself. Therefor, it occupies various position in the sky along in its elliptical orbit. The Moon revolves around the Earth, simultaneously as Earth revolves around the Sun. When the Earth 's shadow fall on the Moon or the Moon's shadow fall on Earth, eclipse occur.
Shadows that formed upon blocking the source of light is unequally shaded because of the size differences of the Moon and Earth. The darker shade at the middle of the shadow is the umbra, while the lighter shade found on the outer region of the shadow is called penumbra.
Solar eclipse
This happens when the light from the Sun has been blocked by the Moon. It can be observed during daytime, and only occur during new moon phase. The alignment of the celestial bodies will be: Sun-Moon-Earth.
If you stand within the Moon's umbra, you will see that the Sun disappear from your view and the surrounding appears to be as if it is early evening. This is the total solar eclipse.
But if you are standing within the Moon's penumbra, you will see that the Sun is partially covered by the Moon. In this case, you are observing partial solar eclipse.
Lunar eclipse
This happens when the light from the Sun has been blocked by the Earth. As the earth blocks the light from the sun, it's shadow fall on moon. Lunar eclipse can be observed during night time, and only occur during full moon phase. The alignment of the celestial bodies will be: sun-earth-moon.
The shadow of the earth is wider than that of the moon. When the entire moon is within the umbra (darker shadow) of the earth, you will be observing a total lunar eclipse. but, when the moon passes the penumbra (lighter shadow) only partial lunar eclipse will be observed. A part of the moon will look dark while the rest will be brighter.
The complete trip of the moon around the earth takes about 1 month. If that is the case, we should be observing eclipses every month. In reality, eclipses do not occur every month. there are only about 3 solar eclipse and 3 lunar eclipse in a year. this lies on the orbit of the moon. the orbit is tilted by 5 degrees from the plane of orbit of the earth. As the moon moves around the earth it is sometimes higher or lower than the earth. In these situations, the shadow of the moon does not hit the surface of the earth. Thus no eclipse will occur. Eclipses happens only when the Moon aligns with the Sun and Earth.
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