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SCIENCE I ART

ECLIPSE

An Eclipse of the Sun happens when the Earth is in the Moon's shadow - blocking the Sun.

An Eclipse of the Moon happens when the Moon is in the Earth's shadow, blocking the Sun's light on the Moon.

SOLAR ECLIPSE

Eclipse of the SUN

A Total Solar Eclipse looks like this for only minutes. The ring of light surrounding the black disc (the Moon in front of the Sun) is the corona and visible only during a total solar eclipse.

Happens during daytime during a NEW MOON

During a Total Solar Eclipse (Eclipse of the Sun), the Moon moves across the face of the sun, covering the sun.

LUNAR ECLIPSE

Eclipse of the Moon

Happens at night time during a FULL MOON

The Moon is covered by the shadow of the Earth during a Lunar Eclipse

The Moon looks Red during a Lunar Eclipse. It can look like this for many hours.

MAP of the "path of Totality" during a Total Solar Eclipse of the Sun

NOTICE: Solar Eclipse is long, but very narrow path covering only a small part of the world. It happens for only a few minutes.

MAP of a Lunar Eclipse of the Moon

NOTICE: Lunar Eclipse happens over almost half of the world at the same time - and happens for hours.

SCIENCE of a Total Solar Eclipse showing shadows of the Moon and Earth 

HOW TO SAFELY VIEW a Solar Eclipse !

* Much of the content on this page was originally designed/created/photographed/composited and animated by JoAnn Gillerman (Viper Vertex Interactive/Exhibits) for "Shadow Dance: Interactive Eclipse Exhibit" that was installed for many years at Chabot Space and Science Center, Oakland, CA.  For decades, JoAnn Gillerman has recorded (video/photographs/immersive/360/VR) 11 Total Solar Eclipses on location around the world, and creates installations, exhibits and artwork related to these extraordinary natural phenomena.
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