What Happens During a Solar Eclipse? | The Schools' Observatory

A solar eclipse occurs when the Earth and Moon line up with the Sun. The Moon blocks sunlight from reaching Earth. There are 2 types of solar eclipse: total and partial.

What happens during a solar eclipse? And what’s the difference between total and partial eclipses? Watch the animation on this page to find out!

Remember, never look directly at the Sun, not even during an eclipse! The Sun's light will damage your eyes.

Approx Duration

< 15 mins

In the animation, the eclipse begins when the Moon starts to pass in front of the Sun. This is called 'first contact'. The eclipse ends when the Moon finishes passing in front of the Sun. This is called 'fourth contact'.

Can you see that the sky gets darker when the Moon passes through our view of the Sun? Is the sky darker during a total eclipse or during a partial one?

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