SOLAR ECLIPSE
STUDENT ASSIGNMENT |
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(Excerpt from http://www.passmyexams.co.uk/GCSE/physics/lunar-and-solar-eclipse.html)
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves across the disc of the sun and cast its shadow across the face of the Earth.
The inner part of the shadow is called the umbra. None of the sunlight can penetrate the umbra and so to observers from Earth within the umbra the sun appears completely covered by the moon. This is known as a total eclipse.
The outer part of the moon’s shadow is called the penumbra. To observers on the Earth on which the penumbra falls the moon appears to partially cover the sun’s disk and this is called a partial solar eclipse.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon moves across the disc of the sun and cast its shadow across the face of the Earth.
The inner part of the shadow is called the umbra. None of the sunlight can penetrate the umbra and so to observers from Earth within the umbra the sun appears completely covered by the moon. This is known as a total eclipse.
The outer part of the moon’s shadow is called the penumbra. To observers on the Earth on which the penumbra falls the moon appears to partially cover the sun’s disk and this is called a partial solar eclipse.