Question:
How often is a total eclipse? (Serious)?
Tyhoic
2008-12-31 10:39:05 UTC
How often does a total eclipse with the sun and moon happen?
I missed the last one by a few years and wanted to know when the next one was.
Does it vary if you live in a different country?
Thanks
Ten answers:
Elizabeth H
2008-12-31 10:49:03 UTC
If the Moon's inner or umbral shadow sweeps across Earth's surface, then a total eclipse of the Sun is seen. The track of the Moon's umbral shadow across Earth is called the Path of Totality. It is typically 10,000 miles long but only about 100 miles wide. It covers less than 1% of Earth's entire surface area. In order to see the Sun become completely eclipsed by the Moon, you must be somewhere inside the narrow path of totality.



The path of a total eclipse can cross any part of Earth. Even the North and South Poles get a total eclipse sooner or later. Just one total eclipse occurs each year or two. Since each total eclipse is only visible from a very narrow track, it is rare to see one from any single location. You'd have to wait an average of 375 years to see two total eclipses from one place. Of course, the interval between seeing two eclipses from one particular place can be shorter or longer. For instance, the last total eclipse visible from Princeton, NJ was in 1478 and the next is in 2079. That's an interval of 601 years. However, the following total eclipse from Princeton is in 2144, after a period of only 65 years.
DavidK93
2008-12-31 10:43:54 UTC
Each total solar eclipse is visible only in a narrow (and sometimes short) path across the face of the Earth. So although a total eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth about once every 18 months, an average of 370 years passes between solar eclipses at a given place on the planet.



On the other hand, a total lunar eclipse is visible anywhere that the Moon itself is visible, and they are much more frequent; total lunar eclipses occur on a more or less yearly basis.
Cirric
2008-12-31 10:45:24 UTC
Hi There are two types, solar and lunar. A total solar eclipse at any particular point on Earth is quite rare but total lunar eclipses are more common. Here is some info from NASA http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEpubs/bulletin.html
nickles
2016-11-11 01:57:19 UTC
How Often Is An Eclipse
anonymous
2016-10-25 11:05:54 UTC
i wager you probably did not certainly examine what you wrote - "...more beneficial lunar eclipses... yet photo voltaic eclipses ensue more beneficial frequently...". How can there be more beneficial lunar eclipses yet photo voltaic eclipses ensue more beneficial frequently? Lunar eclipses are more beneficial common. There are on commonplace 2 partial lunar eclipses in holding with annum. entire photo voltaic eclipses ensue someplace in the international about each and every 18 months on commonplace; estimates are that they ensue at any given position purely once each and every 370 years or so. photo voltaic eclipses are uncommon because the moon must be in an fairly particular position to eclipse the solar, and lacking that categorical aspect in area by technique of only a small volume skill no eclipse in any respect. The moon's shadow is fairly small because the moon itself is fairly small. Lunar eclipses are more beneficial common because Earth's shadow is a lot more beneficial than the moon - the moon would nicely be in a much wider region of area and nevertheless enter Earth's shadow.
Dіє Катzє
2008-12-31 12:05:13 UTC
Well it largely varies. Sometimes Total Solar Eclipses will happen in a certain place every 50 years and some will be over 100 years. Solar Eclipses won't happen under 20 years.



Lunar Eclipses on the other hand happen more often, (but they still vary largely).



Some people even travel to see Eclipses.



Solar Eclipse:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse



Lunar Eclipse:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_eclipse



Solar Eclipse Calculator:

http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/SolarEclipseCalculator.html



Lunar Eclipse Calculator:

http://www.dacre.net/moon/selecteclip.html
Joanne
2008-12-31 11:31:01 UTC
The next eclipse is in the U.S.A on July 22nd. :)
anonymous
2008-12-31 10:55:36 UTC
there are at least two solar eclipses and two lunar eclipses every year. however, they may only be partial, and they may not be visible from your location.



there are total solar eclipses in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 (hybrid), 2015, 2016 and 2017.



i saw the total eclipse in 2006 from turkey. i am hoping to see the 2010 eclipse from the south pacific.
anonymous
2008-12-31 10:46:58 UTC
I'm not sure if it's something that can be estimated, but each eclipse is only visible in a relatively small area of the world. The last total eclipse in this country was only partial for the county I lived in.



In fact, the sky darkened slightly and it gave an incredibly eerie feel to the proceedings. Like a horror film or something.
lithiumdeuteride
2008-12-31 10:46:07 UTC
The Moon is too small and/or too far away from the Earth to completely block the Sun. The best you can hope for is a perfectly centered solar eclipse, where only the Sun's corona is visible.



I suggest checking here for future solar eclipses:

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html


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