Eclipses
Solar Eclipse
This occurs when the Moon comes between the Earth and the Sun so that the Earth ends up in darkness during the daytime. During a total eclipse there is an area of total darkness underneath the umbra and an area of semi-darkness in the area underneath the penumbra.
Solar Eclipses do not occur very often, the next one is scheduled for August 1999.
Lunar Eclipse
This occurs when the Earth moves in between the Moon and the Sun. When the moon moves into the Earth's umbra, it is seen to go dark. Eclipses of the moon are much more common than Solar Eclipses.
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