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In the outdoor backyard at midday, dim eclipse light bathes the grass as Sam and Mia stand side-by-side wearing oversized cardboard eclipse glasses. Sam grins upward while Mia’s curious eyes follow the darkening sky.
1. What is a solar eclipse? A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, blocking all or part of the Sun’s light for a short time.
On the sun-dappled lawn outside the house during the sudden twilight of the eclipse, Mia points upward with wide eyes while Sam explains beside her. Their dog Luna playfully chases its elongated shadow across the grass.
2. Why does a solar eclipse happen? It happens because the Sun, Moon, and Earth align in a straight line during a new moon. The Moon’s shadow falls on Earth, causing the Sun to appear partly or completely covered.
In the partially shaded backyard under the muted afternoon sky, Sam faces Mia, gesturing toward the eclipsed Sun while holding a small paper diagram. Mia listens intently, and their dog Luna peeks through crossed paws near their feet.
3. When do solar eclipses occur? They only occur during the new moon phase, when the Moon is positioned between the Sun and Earth. However, not every new moon causes an eclipse because the Moon’s orbit is tilted.
On the same backyard lawn in the dwindling eclipse light, Sam and Mia stand shoulder-to-shoulder wearing shiny protective eclipse glasses and cheering at the revealed diamond-ring glow. The fading corona sparkles above the treetops behind them.
4. Where can a solar eclipse be seen? Only people within the Moon’s shadow path on Earth can see the eclipse. This path is usually narrow, so total eclipses are visible only in certain locations.