Introduction
Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse are two of the solar system’s wonders that are the results of beautiful interactions between the sun, moon, and the earth. They occur around 2-5 times a year.
An eclipse is a phenomenon where a planet or a moon gets in the way of the sun’s light. In the earth’s case, an eclipse occurs when the sun, earth, and moon are in one straight line. Depending on the earth and the moon’s position, a solar eclipse or lunar eclipse occurs.
When the moon passes between the earth and the sun and casts its shadow on the earth, it blocks the sunlight fully or partially in some areas of the earth. This causes solar eclipses in those areas.
However, a main doubt in the minds of many is “How can the moon block the sun when it’s many times smaller than the sun?” The answer is quite simple- the sun, in comparison to the moon, is way too far away from the earth. This is the reason why the moon can ‘block’ the sun and cause solar eclipses. This is also the reason why the sun and moon both appear to be of the same size in the sky.
When the earth passes between the sun and the moon and casts its shadow on the moon, it blocks the sunlight fully or partially on the moon. This causes lunar eclipses in some parts of the earth.
Both solar and lunar eclipses are visible from one-half of the earth at a time.
Solar Eclipse Vs Lunar Eclipse
The main difference between a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse is the placement of the three celestial bodies involved, i.e., the sun, the moon, and the earth. During a solar eclipse, the moon is present between the earth and the sun; however, during a lunar eclipse, the earth is present between the moon and the sun. also, during a solar eclipse, the moon casts its shadow on the earth and blocks the sun fully or partially; however, during a lunar eclipse, the earth casts its shadow on the moon and blocks it fully or partially.
Difference Between Solar Eclipse and Lunar Eclipse in Tabular Form
| Parameters of comparison | Solar Eclipse | Lunar Eclipse |
| Position of celestial bodies | Moon between earth and sun | Earth between moon and sun |
| Cause of eclipse | Moon castes shadow on earth and fully or partially blocks the sun | Earth casts a shadow on the moon and fully or partially blocks it |
| Duration | 7 & ½ minutes (avg.) | 1 & ¾ hours (avg.) |
| Possibility of watching with bare eyes | Dangerous to look at a solar eclipse with bare eyes | Perfectly fine to watch a lunar eclipse with the naked eyes |
| Required equipment to view | Solar-viewing glasses required | No special equipment required |
What is a Solar Eclipse?
A solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when the moon comes between the earth and the sun and casts its shadow on the earth. In this process, the moon fully or partially blocks the sunlight. A solar eclipse occurs only on the day of a new moon. On average, there are only about 2-3 solar eclipses per year. However, there can be as many as 5 solar eclipses in a single year.
In the 21st century, the greatest number of solar eclipses has been 4, which were witnessed in the year 2011. There are mainly 4 types of solar eclipses based on the position of the moon in front of the sun. They are:
- Total solar eclipse- This occurs when the sun is fully blocked by the moon.
- Partial solar eclipse- Occurs when the sun is blocked partially by the moon; the moon appears to have taken a ‘bite’ out of the sun. The sun appears to have taken the shape of a crescent moon.
- Annular solar eclipse- Occurs when the moon is centred in front of the sun, but does not cover it fully. It results in the formation of a fiery ring around the moon.
- Hybrid solar eclipse- Occurs when there is a combination of a total and annular solar eclipse. One form of the eclipse gradually transitions into another. It is the rarest type of solar eclipse.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the earth and the sun, forming a straight line, and partially blocks the sun in some areas of the earth. However, this only happens occasionally as the moon does not orbit in the exact plane of the earth and the sun. This is the reason why solar eclipses do not occur every time the moon comes between the sun and the earth.
For the common folks, solar eclipses may be simply confusing and fascinating at the same time. But for the scientific community, solar eclipses are big boons as they allow scientists to study the corona. No, not the virus, but the sun’s atmosphere. Funny that they share the same name. the corona, which is otherwise outshined by the sun’s blinding light, becomes visible during the solar eclipse. This allows the solar eclipse to become an important phenomenon for space scientists as they get some insight into the sun’s evolution and our solar system by studying the sun’s corona. It also helps us to know more about the impact of the sun on our solar system, and what impact it will have on the future of our solar system.
Earlier, when science had not yet rooted itself in human civilization, solar eclipses were seen as a sign of God’s wrath. It was believed that something bad would follow the solar eclipse. A solar eclipse was seen as a bad omen.
But as the scientific community became advanced, the phenomenon which was seen as a black cat became a well-known solar event.
A solar eclipse has significant effects on human health.
- Firstly, watching a solar eclipse with the naked eye can seriously damage the retina, leading to partial or complete blindness. Hence, it is strongly advised to wear protective glasses while witnessing this astronomical phenomenon.
- Solar eclipses have been found to cause a dip in the energy level of people, causing a feeling of lethargy and dullness.
- Solar eclipses also alter the hormonal composition of human bodies a bit, thus, having a high chance of causing mood swings.
Besides these, there are quite a few popular beliefs regarding the impact of solar eclipses on human health, which lack any empirical evidence. One such widely-followed belief is that solar eclipses cause indigestion; hence, one should avoid food intake during a solar eclipse.
What is a Lunar Eclipse?
A lunar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs when the earth comes between the sun and the moon and casts its shadow on the moon. A lunar eclipse occurs only on a full moon day. On such a day, the moon becomes eerily red due to the activities of the sun on the earth’s atmosphere. This gives the nickname “Blood Moon” to the moon on the day of a lunar eclipse.
On average, around 2 lunar eclipses occur every year, however, a year can have around 3-5 lunar eclipses as well, depending on the position and alignment of the sun, the moon, and the earth. For example, the year 2002 saw 3 lunar eclipses, while the year 1935 witnessed a whooping 5 lunar eclipses.
There are broadly 3 different types of lunar eclipses:
- Total lunar eclipse: Occurs when the earth fully blocks the sunlight from reaching the moon. Here, the moon is fully covered with the shadow of the earth. The moon takes its famous blood-red or orangish-red colour during this eclipse. It happens due to the reflection of sunlight from the earth’s surface reaching the lunar surface.
- Partial lunar eclipse: Occurs when the earth covers only some parts of the moon with its shadow. Here, usually, the moon does not get its red colour. The shadow of the earth grows and then recedes without ever fully covering the moon.
- Penumbral eclipse: Occurs when the moon passes through the penumbra or the dim part of the earth’s shadow. During such a lunar eclipse, the moon dims very slightly; it is almost negligible, and if you don’t know that it’s an eclipse day, you are most likely to miss it.
Although lunar eclipses are surrounded by myths and stereotypes, the scientific community has termed them an important event.
Lunar eclipses were significant in deducing the fact that the earth is spherical in shape. Greek philosopher Aristotle was the first person to notice that no matter what, the shadow on the moon during lunar eclipses was always round. He then realised that the earth’s shadow could be round only if the earth was spherical in shape.
Moving on to the present day, lunar eclipses allow scientists to study the rate at which the earth’s rotation is slowing down due to the friction effects connected with the tides driven by the moon. Due to this process, each day on the earth becomes about 2 milliseconds longer. A few billion years ago, one day on earth lasted only for 19 hours. However, the day between two consecutive sunrises kept on increasing till it became 24 whole hours.
Unlike solar eclipses, lunar eclipses are comparatively safe to view with the naked eye from the earth. No special protective glasses are required to view a lunar eclipse. Although the scientific community has ascertained the fact that lunar eclipses pose no real harm to human health, there are many stereotypes and myths regarding lunar eclipses. Following are some of such stereotypes:
- Lunar eclipses can cause skin diseases: According to many astrologers, lunar eclipses cause an imbalance in our body’s Kapha dosha, which is responsible for muscle growth and stability. This imbalance causes skin diseases.
- Eating during lunar eclipses can cause indigestion: Another widely believed myth is that lunar eclipses contaminate food, thus causing
indigestion.
- Lunar eclipses affect fertility: Moon is considered a symbol of fertility and reproduction in many cultures. Thus, a lunar eclipse is considered to be an ideal time to conceive.
As much as many people love to harvest these beliefs, they have not yet been backed by any scientific evidence. So, it is safe to say that lunar eclipses are quite beautiful and safe.
Main Differences Between Solar Eclipse and Lunar Eclipse in Points
- A solar eclipse occurs when the earth, the moon, and the sun form a straight line with the moon coming between the earth and the sun; whereas, a lunar eclipse occurs when the earth, the moon, and the sun form a straight line with the earth coming between the moon and the sun.
- Solar eclipse is caused due to the moon blocking the sun fully or partially from reaching the earth, and casting a shadow on it; whereas, a lunar eclipse is caused due to the earth blocking the moon and casting a shadow on it, covering it fully or partially.
- The average duration of a solar eclipse is about 7 & ½ minutes; whereas, the average duration of a lunar eclipse is 1 & ¾ hours.
- There are 4 types of solar eclipses (total solar eclipse, partial solar eclipse, annular solar eclipse, hybrid solar eclipse); whereas, there are 3 types of lunar eclipses (Total lunar eclipse, partial lunar eclipse, penumbral lunar eclipse).
- It is dangerous to look at solar eclipses with the naked eye; whereas, it is comparatively safe to look at lunar eclipses with the naked eye.
- Special protective glasses are required to witness a solar eclipse; whereas, no special protective glasses are required to witness a lunar eclipse.
Conclusion
Solar eclipses and lunar eclipses are both beautiful wonders of our solar system. Both, in historic times, were seen as equally significant events but were steeped in myths and stereotypes. Though now the scientific community have simplified this seemingly miraculous and God-driven event for the common folks, people from the older generations still like to treat both solar and lunar eclipses as supernatural elements.
However, this does not make these astronomical events any less significant. Not only do they help us to get insights into the solar system’s evolution; but they also help us to know more about our existence as human beings, how we shaped our culture, and how we let our culture shape us.
So, the next time any eclipse makes the headlines, run outside with your glasses, and make sure to witness this simple yet wonderful phenomenon!
References
- https://blog.oup.com/2017/06/best-ways-to-view-solar-eclipse/
- https://www.space.com/15584-solar-eclipses.html
- https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/eclipse-snap/en/