Solar eclipse

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A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the Sun and the Earth so that the Sun is fully or partially covered. This can only happen during a new moon, when the Sun and Moon are in conjunction as seen from the Earth. At least two and up to five solar eclipses can occur each year on Earth, with between zero and two of them being total eclipses. Total solar eclipses are nevertheless rare at any location because during each eclipse totality exists only along a narrow corridor in the relatively tiny area of the Moon's umbra.

A total solar eclipse is a spectacular natural phenomenon and many people travel to remote locations to observe one. The 1999 total eclipse in Europe helped to increase public awareness of the phenomenon, as illustrated by the number of journeys made specifically to witness the 2005 annular eclipse and the 2006 total eclipse. The recent solar eclipse of January 26, 2009 was an annular eclipse (see below), while the solar eclipse of July 22, 2009 was a total solar eclipse.

In ancient times, and in some cultures today, solar eclipses have been attributed to supernatural causes. Total solar eclipses can be frightening for people who are unaware of their astronomical explanation, as the Sun seems to disappear in the middle of the day and the sky darkens in a matter of minutes.

For more information about Solar eclipse, read the full article at Wikipedia.
This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

News tagged with solar eclipse

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Precise Radio-Telescope Measurements Advance Frontier Gravitational Physics

Physics / General Physics

Sep 01, 2009 | 4.5 / 5 (12) | 7

(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists using a continent-wide array of radio telescopes have made an extremely precise measurement of the curvature of space caused by the Sun's gravity, and their technique promises a ...

Groups See Sun Darken

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Jul 30, 2009 | 4 / 5 (1) | 0

Two MIT Alumni Association groups led by MIT professors were rewarded with clear skies - just barely - for the total eclipse of the sun on July 22, possibly the most-watched eclipse in history. The eclipse ...

Scientists capitalize on extended solar eclipse

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Jul 22, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 0

Scientists at this observatory outside Hangzhou joined residents and tourists across China and India in observing the longest total solar eclipse in a century and probably the most-viewed ever.

Solar eclipse shrouds Asia in daytime darkness (AP)

Full solar eclipse turns day to night in Asia

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Jul 22, 2009 | 5 / 5 (1) | 2

(AP) -- From the Ganges River in India to remote islands of the Pacific, the sun rose Wednesday only to vanish again, allowing the stars to twinkle into view in the longest total solar eclipse this century ...

Longest Solar Eclipse of the 21st Century

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Jul 21, 2009 | 4.8 / 5 (5) | 0

One one-thousand, 2 one-thousand, 3 one-thousand, 4 one-thousand... Continue counting and don't stop until you reach 399 one-thousand.

This picture shows the sun partially covered by the moon during an eclipse as seen from Jakarta in January 2009

'Monster' solar eclipse takes on Asian giants

Space & Earth / Space Exploration

Jul 20, 2009 | 4.2 / 5 (10) | 5

The world's most populous nations will gaze skywards Wednesday as the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century lays a carpet of darkness across India and China, from Mumbai to Shanghai.

Celebrating gravity’s light-bending landmark

Physics / General Physics

May 29, 2009 | 3.7 / 5 (7) | 1

(PhysOrg.com) -- Today Oxford University scientists are joining in a special celebration of the first test of Albert Einstein’s theory of gravity on the remote African island where the ground-breaking experiment ...