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Solar Eclipse Shadows
Age 11 · Astronomy
A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth and blocks sunlight. The middle of the Moon’s shadow is darkest, and the lighter edge around it makes a different kind of eclipse.
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Age 11: open this week
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In the picture
- The Moon: the grey ball that blocks sunlight.
- The central shadow: the dark oval where sunlight is fully blocked.
- The outer half-shadow: the lighter oval where sunlight is partly blocked.
Examples
- A ball held between a lamp and a wall makes a dark middle spot with a soft edge.
- Your own shadow is darkest in the middle and softer at the edges.
Key takeaways
- The Moon’s central shadow causes a total solar eclipse.
- The wider outer half-shadow causes only a partial solar eclipse.
Quiz: Solar Eclipse Shadows (Age 11)
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What does the Moon’s central shadow cause during a solar eclipse?
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What does the Moon’s wider outer half-shadow cause during a solar eclipse?
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What happens when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth during a solar eclipse?
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